Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced Thursday the closure of the 'Alligator Alcatraz' immigration detention center in the Everglades, a makeshift facility that opened in July 2025 and was praised by the Trump administration but criticized as inhumane by civil rights groups.
DeSantis said the center was always intended to be temporary until more permanent detention facilities could be secured, and federal officials now have that capacity. 'We stepped up because there was a gap, but my hope is that they’ll be able to handle that,' the Republican governor said at a news conference at the facility.
Temporary closure due to hurricane season
Officials announced a temporary closure earlier in June, sending all detainees to other facilities, citing hurricane season safety concerns in the Everglades. The center, built in days by DeSantis' administration, consisted of tents and trailers surrounded by chain-link cages.
Immigration advocates condemned the conditions, with detainees reporting difficulty accessing lawyers, worms in food, non-flushing toilets, floors flooded with fecal waste, and pervasive mosquitoes. The air conditioning could cut off abruptly in the Florida heat, and detainees sometimes went days without showers or prescription medication.
Deportations and ongoing enforcement
DeSantis claimed the facility made Florida safer, noting that 21,000 people were deported through it. White House border czar Tom Homan said Florida will continue to play a key role with other detention centers and immigration enforcement. 'Gov. DeSantis did a good job, and he’s going to continue doing what he’s doing to help us make this country safe again,' Homan said. 'This isn’t the end of the relationship. This is a continuation.'
Lawyers for immigrants reported that clients were suddenly transferred to facilities in South Florida, California, Arizona, Louisiana, and Texas earlier this month, disappearing for about a week before their attorneys and families were informed of their locations.
Environmental and legal challenges
Environmental groups sued over the detention center, arguing Florida officials lacked proper permits and environmental reviews. Paul J. Schwiep, attorney for Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity, stated: 'The administration believes it can quietly walk away and leave its mess for others to clean up. The law will not allow them to escape accountability. We will ask the courts to ensure that the environmental damage is fully addressed.'
DeSantis said the Everglades airstrip around which the facility was built will continue to be used. The Florida Immigrant Coalition criticized the closure, saying the only winners were corporations and contractors who profited millions as Republicans pushed an immigration emergency they claim does not exist.
