DeSantis Says Florida's 'Alligator Alcatraz' Detention Center Has Closed Permanently
On Thursday, June 25, 2026, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the "Alligator Alcatraz" immigration detention center at an isolated Everglades airstrip has shut down.[1]
DeSantis said the site, opened in July 2025, was used to deport about 21,000 people and that federal officials now have sufficient permanent detention capacity.[1] He said the airstrip around the facility will continue to be used, but he did not specify future purposes.[1] Officials earlier in June temporarily closed the soft-sided camp for hurricane-season safety and moved all detainees to facilities in South Florida, California, Arizona, Louisiana and Texas.[1]
The center opened after an eight-day conversion of the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in July 2025 and was promoted by DeSantis and President Donald Trump as a model for state-run detention.[2]
Immigration advocates and former detainees alleged unsafe and inhumane conditions at the site, including difficulty accessing lawyers, worms in food, non-flushing toilets, floors flooded with fecal waste, and pervasive mosquitoes and insects.[1] The Florida Immigrant Coalition said the shutdown does not end the harms of long-term detention and accused contractors and corporations of profiting millions from what it called a manufactured emergency.[1]
The mainstream summary highlights the closure of the Alligator Alcatraz detention center but does not mention that the facility processed approximately 22,000 detainees, a figure that slightly contradicts DeSantis's claim of 21,000 deportations. This discrepancy raises questions about the accuracy of the reported figures and the overall impact of the facility's operations. Additionally, while the summary notes the alleged inhumane conditions, it does not delve into the financial implications, such as the facility's daily operating costs reaching $1.2 million, which is significantly higher than the average cost per detainee in ICE facilities. This stark contrast in operational expenses suggests a problematic prioritization of resources in the context of immigration enforcement. Furthermore, the summary lacks a broader context regarding the facility's role within the Trump administration's mass deportation policies, which involved dismantling enforcement norms and creating temporary detention sites like Alligator Alcatraz that were later scaled back due to logistical challenges. This context emphasizes that the closure is part of a larger, often controversial strategy rather than a straightforward resolution to immigration issues.[3][4]
Show source details & analysis (2 sources)
📊 Relevant Data
The facility processed and deported approximately 22,000 detainees between July 2025 and May 2026.
All detainees from immigration facility 'Alligator Alcatraz' have been transferred, DHS says — PBS NewsHour
Daily operating costs reached $1.2 million, or approximately $850 per bed per day at peak occupancy of around 1,400 detainees, compared to the ICE average of $187 per day.
Alligator Alcatraz — Wikipedia
The Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport property covers 24,960 acres, of which only about 900 acres are developed or operational, with the remainder managed as wildlife habitat.
Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport (TNT) — Miami-Dade Aviation Department
📌 Key Facts
- On Thursday, June 25, 2026, Gov. Ron DeSantis said the "Alligator Alcatraz" immigration detention center "has shut down" and described it as always intended to be temporary, according to Gov. Ron DeSantis.
- The facility opened in July 2025 at an isolated Everglades airstrip, and DeSantis said the airstrip around which it was built will continue to be used though he did not specify future purposes (isolated Everglades airstrip).
- DeSantis said the site was used to deport about 21,000 people and that federal officials now have sufficient permanent detention capacity, prompting the closure statement.
- Earlier in June 2026, officials announced a temporary closure for hurricane-season safety and transferred all detainees to facilities in South Florida, California, Arizona, Louisiana and Texas.
- Immigration advocates and detainees alleged unsafe and inhumane conditions at the facility, citing difficulty accessing lawyers, worms in food, non-flushing toilets, floors flooded with fecal waste, and pervasive mosquitoes and insects.
- The Florida Immigrant Coalition criticized the shutdown as not ending the broader harms of long-term detention and said contractors and corporations "profited millions" from what it called a manufactured emergency.
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- On Thursday, June 25, 2026, Gov. Ron DeSantis said the 'Alligator Alcatraz' immigration detention center "has shut down" and described it as always intended to be temporary.
- DeSantis said the facility, opened in July 2025 at an isolated Everglades airstrip, was used to deport about 21,000 people and that federal officials now have sufficient permanent detention capacity.
- Earlier in June 2026, officials announced a temporary closure citing hurricane-season safety and transferred all detainees to facilities in South Florida, California, Arizona, Louisiana and Texas.
- Immigration advocates and detainees alleged unsafe and inhumane conditions, including difficulty accessing lawyers, worms in food, non-flushing toilets, floors flooded with fecal waste, and pervasive mosquitoes and insects.
- The Florida Immigrant Coalition criticized the shutdown as not ending the broader harms of long-term detention and said contractors and corporations "profited millions" from what it called a manufactured emergency.
- DeSantis said the airstrip around which the facility was built will continue to be used, without specifying future purposes.