Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 23
Florida Begins Dismantling 1-Year-Old Alligator Alcatraz Detention Center
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 23

Florida Begins Dismantling 1-Year-Old Alligator Alcatraz Detention Center

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 23

Summary

  • Crews on Monday started taking down tents, fences, trailers and other structures at Florida’s state-run Alligator Alcatraz detention center in the Everglades, signaling the site’s closure.
  • Vendors were told on a morning call they could begin “demobilizing” immediately and were expected to make significant progress by Wednesday, according to people familiar with the directive.
  • The move came days after the Department of Homeland Security said all detainees had been transferred out for safety as hurricane season began, with the June 1-Nov. 30 season now underway.
  • The remote facility opened less than a year ago with backing from President Trump and Governor Ron DeSantis, but officials have said little publicly about the shutdown after once promoting it heavily.

Insights

After a $1.2 billion price tag, why is Florida's 'Alligator Alcatraz' being torn down after less than one year of operation?
From a billion-dollar detention camp to a pilot training airport—what is the future for this controversial Everglades site?
With a federal watchdog office dismantled, what oversight exists for detainees transferred from the now-closed immigration center?