Photo: CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP / Getty Images
The controversial immigration detention facility known as Alligator Alcatraz, located in the Everglades of south Florida, is reportedly set to close. According to multiple reports, vendors operating the facility have been informed by government officials that the center will soon shut down, with plans to relocate the 1,400 detainees currently housed there.
The decision to close the facility comes shortly after border czar Tom Homan indicated that the Trump administration was in discussions with state officials about its closure. A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official told the New York Times that the facility is costly and has lost its effectiveness.
Opened in July 2025, Alligator Alcatraz has been a focal point for controversy, with reports of inhumane conditions and legal challenges. Lawsuits have been filed by environmental and civil rights groups, alleging violations of federal environmental laws and human rights abuses. The facility, which cost Florida taxpayers at least $640 million, has faced criticism for its environmental impact on the sensitive wetlands of the Big Cypress National Preserve.
Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz recently described the conditions at the facility as "inhumane," noting that detainees were held in cages with poor sanitation. She highlighted that 65% of the detainees do not have a criminal history, with only 27% classified as 'high threat' by ICE.
Despite the facility's impending closure, its operations have been upheld by the 11th U.S. Court of Appeals, which rejected the need for a federal environmental review. However, the ongoing scrutiny and legal battles continue to challenge the facility's existence and operations.
