Yes, the “Alligator Alcatraz” detention facility in Florida’s Everglades is likely to be empty within days, according to a recent email from a top state official. The facility, officially known as the South Florida Detention Facility, was rapidly constructed in June 2025 at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in Ochopee as part of the Trump administration’s push for mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. It was designed to hold up to 3,000 detainees (with potential expansion to 5,000) using temporary tents, trailers, and FEMA-style structures, at an estimated annual operating cost of $450 million—fronted by Florida with plans for federal reimbursement through FEMA.
Background and Controversies
- Announcement and Opening: Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier coined the nickname “Alligator Alcatraz” in a June 19, 2025, social media video, highlighting the site’s remote location surrounded by the Everglades’ alligators and pythons as a “natural perimeter” to deter escapes. Governor Ron DeSantis invoked a 2023 state immigration emergency to seize the county-owned airfield and fast-track construction without standard environmental reviews or bidding. The facility opened on July 1, 2025, with President Donald Trump, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and DeSantis in attendance. Trump praised it as potentially “as good as the real Alcatraz,” and it was touted as a model for other states.
- Detainee Conditions and Criticisms: Reports from detainees, family members, lawmakers, and civil rights groups described harsh conditions, including overcrowding in cage-like units (up to 32 people per cage), sweltering heat, bug infestations, wormy food, infrequent showers, constant lighting, flooding from rain or sewage, and inadequate medical care. Democratic lawmakers like Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz called it “inhumane” after a limited tour, while environmental groups (e.g., Friends of the Everglades) and the Miccosukee Tribe sued over damage to sensitive wetlands habitat for endangered species like the Florida panther. Polling in July 2025 showed 48% of Americans opposed the facility, with 53% of independents against it. The Republican Party of Florida even sold branded merchandise, drawing accusations of cruelty.
- Legal Challenges: Multiple lawsuits challenged its legality, environmental impact, and detainee treatment. On August 7, 2025, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams issued a temporary halt to further construction. On August 21, she granted a preliminary injunction prohibiting new detainee transfers, halting all construction, and ordering the removal of temporary infrastructure (fencing, lighting, generators, sewage systems) within 60 days—effectively requiring the facility to wind down by late October 2025. The ruling cited violations of federal environmental laws (e.g., National Environmental Policy Act) due to the lack of public input, alternatives analysis, and impact statements. Florida and the federal government appealed and sought a stay, arguing the facility was “essential” for immigration enforcement amid overcrowded ICE centers (59,000 detainees nationwide, 140% over capacity). However, Judge Williams denied the stay on August 28, 2025, mandating the closure proceed.
Path to Emptiness
- Declining Population: The facility peaked at nearly 1,000 detainees in July 2025 but dropped to 300–350 by mid-August, per Rep. Maxwell Frost’s tour. At least 100 have been deported, with others transferred to other ICE facilities. No new arrivals have been allowed since the injunction.
- Official Confirmation: On August 22, 2025, Florida Division of Emergency Management Executive Director Kevin Guthrie emailed South Florida Rabbi Mario Rojzman (who inquired about providing chaplaincy services) stating, “We are probably going to be down to 0 individuals within a few days,” implying no further need for such services. The email’s authenticity was verified by Rojzman’s office and reported by multiple outlets (e.g., AP, CNN, NPR). Governor DeSantis confirmed on August 28 that removals had accelerated, attributing it to federal decisions on processing detainees.
- Current Status: As of August 28, 2025, the facility is on track to be fully emptied imminently, ahead of the court’s 60-day deadline. Florida plans a second facility (“Deportation Depot”) at Camp Blanding in northern Florida, suggesting a shift rather than abandonment of the deportation strategy. Environmental plaintiffs argue this undermines claims of necessity for “Alligator Alcatraz,” as the new site could absorb any overflow.
This development follows widespread bipartisan criticism, including from 67 members of Congress (led by Reps. Jeffrey Merkley and Wasserman Schultz), who questioned the use of emergency powers and overreach. While the emptying aligns with the court order, the appeals process continues, and the facility’s short lifespan (operational for about two months) highlights the legal and logistical hurdles in expanding detention capacity.