Florida to Close $1 Million-a-Day 'Alligator Alcatraz' Jail Next Month
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 24
Florida to Close $1 Million-a-Day 'Alligator Alcatraz' Jail Next Month
2 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 24
Next month’s shutdown will end a nine-month run for the Everglades detention camp, where Ron DeSantis said 22,000 deportation-bound detainees were held in metal cages.
More than $1 million a day in operating costs, plus lawsuits, protests, Democratic visits and a 2025 Amnesty report alleging abuse and rights violations, helped drive the closure.
Justo Betancourt, 54, was hospitalized days after release; his daughter said guards ignored his diabetes and possible mini-strokes during 4 1/2 months inside the facility.
Florida’s emergency management agency denied mistreatment and Homeland Security called abuse reports hoaxes, but former detainees described filthy cages, 24-hour lights, broken air conditioning and maggot-tainted food.
The closure leaves political fallout for DeSantis, who once championed the camp but now calls it temporary as public opinion turns against aggressive immigration enforcement.
As one 'hellish' detention camp closes, could this controversial warehouse model be replicated elsewhere in the country?
A billion-dollar jail operated for only nine months. Who is accountable for the staggering human and financial costs?
He survived 'Alligator Alcatraz' but suffered strokes. What justice is available for the thousands of other former detainees?
"Shutdown of ‘Alligator Alcatraz’: Florida’s $1.7 Billion Detention Gamble and the National Surge in ICE Detention"
Overview
The 'Alligator Alcatraz' detention facility in Florida is set for imminent closure in June 2026, following reports that began circulating in mid-May. Florida State Rep. Anna Eskamani confirmed the news after receiving a message from Congress, but official details remain scarce as state agencies and the governor’s office have not responded to inquiries. The Department of Homeland Security maintains that it regularly reviews detention needs and denies pressuring Florida to close the facility, instead calling the state a valuable partner in advancing federal immigration policy. This uncertainty highlights ongoing questions about the facility’s future and the broader immigration agenda.