The controversial “Alligator Alcatraz” migrant detention facility in Florida is expected to be shut down during the upcoming summer, according to sources familiar with the planning.
Vendors at the site were reportedly informed on Tuesday that detainees will be removed by the beginning of June, with the centre scheduled to be dismantled in the following weeks.
These details were corroborated by reports from the New York Times and WFOR, citing multiple sources familiar with the state’s instructions to contractors.
Located deep within the Florida Everglades at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, the facility has been a focal point of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.
While Republicans have praised the site as a vital tool for enforcement, the closure follows a year marked by legal disputes, rising operational costs, and persistent allegations of inhumane conditions.
Governor Ron DeSantis acknowledged ongoing discussions with the Trump administration regarding the closure, noting last week that the facility was always intended to be a temporary measure. “If we shut the lights out tomorrow, we will be able to say it served its purpose,” the Governor stated on Thursday.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management, which oversees the site, echoed the Governor’s sentiments. A spokesperson indicated that the state would “pivot accordingly” should the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) implement alternative plans for South Florida detention.
However, the DHS issued a statement on Tuesday denying reports that it was pressuring Florida to cease operations, instead describing the state as a “valuable partner” in the federal immigration agenda.
The facility, situated less than 50 miles west of the President’s Miami Beach resort, has faced intense criticism since it was rapidly constructed on an airport runway last summer.
Democratic lawmakers, immigrant rights advocates, environmentalists, and local tribal groups have all voiced opposition. Visitors to the site last summer described migrants being held in cages and subjected to extreme heat, insect infestations, and inadequate food.
While Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials have maintained that the facility meets higher standards than many US prisons, the site has been the subject of significant legal scrutiny.
Although an appellate court recently overturned a lower court order to dismantle the facility, a separate legal ruling recently mandated that the state provide detainees with better access to legal counsel and unmonitored telephone calls.
As of early April, ICE data indicated the facility held nearly 1,400 people. Governor DeSantis suggested that if the programme is shuttered, detainees may be transferred to DHS facilities, allowing the small airport in Ochopee to return to its normal operations.
