Alligator Alcatraz's mission accomplished, Florida says. What's next for site

Alligator Alcatraz, the Florida detention center that became a symbol of the national crackdown on immigration, is closing permanently, state and federal officials confirmed June 25.

"Alligator Alcatraz today has zero detainees, which means mission success for Florida," Anthony Coker, the executive director of the Florida State Board of Immigration Enforcement, said a press conference also attended by Gov. Ron DeSantis, White House Border Czar Tom Homan and others.

More than 22,000 people were processed and staged for deportation from the site's July 2025 opening to its closure this month, DeSantis said. The facility – quickly erected at a remote airstrip in the middle of the Everglades – was a temporary emergency measure that served its purpose while the federal government lacked the resources to process arrivals, he said.

"This was an emergency situation," DeSantis said. "DHS did not have resources. The funding they got last summer had not passed yet. And they were in a situation where they could not keep these people. They didn't know what to do with them. They didn't have the space, so we did this."

What's next for Everglades site

The 17,000-acre site is now being eyed to remain forever protected as a environmental preserve.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava announced her desire June 25 to make it part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, one of the largest environmental restoration efforts in the United States.

"From the very beginning, I have raised serious concerns about the 'Alligator Alcatraz' detention facility because people have been held there in inhumane conditions without meaningful due process, while occupying land alongside one of the world's most precious natural ecosystems," Cava said in a statement. "Once this facility is decommissioned, we have an opportunity to permanently protect these lands for Everglades restoration and ensure they remain protected for generations to come. That is the legacy we should leave."

The county administration determined that the remote location, limited aviation utility and significant maintenance obligations mean an airport is no longer the best long-term use for the property.

What led to Alligator Alcatraz closure?

The announcement follows a week of reports that the immigration detention facility in Ochopee is permanently winding down operations. While the U.S. Department of Homeland Security maintained as recently as June 17 that detainees were moved for "their safety during hurricane season," a Florida congresswoman confirmed that on-site vendors received orders to begin "full demobilization."

Alligator Alcatraz was expensive to operate.

The detention facility also had long faced objections from both South Florida's indigenous community and environmental advocates.

The Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida joined a lawsuit last year that sought to close it and remove the equipment, rocks, tents, pavement and people. That suit is still active, said influential Miccosukee tribal member Betty Osceola.

Friends of the Everglades and other advocacy groups have criticized the detention facility's impacts on the fragile Everglades ecosystem.

Friends of the Everglades has launched several lawsuits against the state alleging it didn't follow environmental laws requiring environmental impact reviews before construction starts. The group also sued the state for denying public records requests regarding state spending on the facility.

"'Alligator Alcatraz' will go down as one of the biggest failures in American history," said Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglades. "Our government failed to protect the Everglades and failed to follow basic environmental laws - while racking up a $1 billion tab paid by taxpayers. We sued to stop the harm, our case continues, and we will not let up until this makeshift prison permanently closes and all the damage is undone."

Mickenzie Hannon is a watchdog reporter for The News-Press and Naples Daily News, covering Collier and Lee counties. Contact her at 239-435-3423 or mhannon@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Alligator Alcatraz's mission accomplished, Florida says. What's next for site

Reporting by Mickenzie Hannon and Alexa Ryan, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida / Naples Daily News

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This story was originally published June 25, 2026 at 4:40 PM.