ICE Moves All Detainees From Florida's $1.2 Million-a-Day 'Alligator Alcatraz' Jail
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 16
ICE Moves All Detainees From Florida's $1.2 Million-a-Day 'Alligator Alcatraz' Jail
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 16
Summary
ICE said Tuesday it transferred all detainees out of Florida’s remote Everglades immigration jail, citing hurricane-season safety at the soft-sided facility.
The agency did not say how many people were moved or where they were taken, but the site had already been widely expected to close after Florida told vendors transfers would begin in early June.
Human-rights allegations shadowed the move: Amnesty International said in December 2025 that detainees were shackled in a 2-foot-high outdoor cage without water as punishment.
More recent detainee accounts cited by the Guardian alleged rotten water containing mosquito larvae was used to pressure migrants into signing English-language documents they could not understand.
Opened in July 2025 and praised by Donald Trump for its harshness, the state-run jail costs Florida taxpayers an estimated $1.2 million a day to operate.
One controversial jail is closing. Are conditions improving for the record 70,000 immigrants still detained nationwide?
As 'Alligator Alcatraz' closes, will anyone be held accountable for the alleged human rights abuses that occurred inside?
Who will pay to restore the damaged Everglades after the costly 'Alligator Alcatraz' detention experiment has ended?
The Rise and Fall of “Alligator Alcatraz”: Florida’s $450 Million Migrant Detention Center and the Lessons for U.S. Immigration Policy
Overview
The federal migrant detention center known as 'Alligator Alcatraz' in the Florida Everglades is shutting down by early June 2026, marking the end of a facility long criticized for its harsh conditions. The closure follows a period filled with serious allegations, including abuse, disappearances of migrants, and restricted medical access for detainees. As detainees are transferred out, concerns remain about tracking their whereabouts and ensuring transparency. The decision to close the center is seen as the end of a failed experiment, highlighting ongoing challenges in managing migrant detention and protecting basic rights.