Florida’s immigration detention facility in the Everglades, known as “Alligator Alcatraz,” is expected to close less than a year after it opened, according to multiple reports. CBS News and ABC News cite sources saying the site is set to shut down soon. Inside Climate News reports that officials have told vendors the facility will close as early as June and that detainees will be moved to other locations. PBS NewsHour also reports that the camp is expected to close, describing it as a controversial detention site.
The Hill adds that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state’s immigration detention facility will soon close. The reporting characterizes the site as temporary when it opened in summer 2025, with DeSantis stating it was intended to operate because the federal government did not have sufficient resources to hold detainees itself.
Across the outlets, the central points are that Florida operates the Everglades facility, that multiple sources indicate an imminent shutdown, and that detainees are expected to be transferred elsewhere before or during the closure process.
