Florida's "Alligator Alcatraz" shutting down permanently, sources say
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Florida's "Alligator Alcatraz" shutting down permanently, sources say
By
Jim DeFede
Jim DeFede joined CBS4 News in January 2006 and serves as an investigative reporter for the station, as well as host of its Sunday morning public affairs program "Facing South Florida."
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Jim DeFede
Updated on: June 22, 2026 / 1:07 PM EDT / CBS Miami
Add CBS News on GoogleCompanies hired by the state to operate the Florida immigration facility known as "Alligator Alcatraz" were notified Monday morning to begin "full demobilization" of the facility, quietly bringing an ignominious close a $1.2 billion experiment that had once been hailed by Governor Ron DeSantis and President Donald Trump as a model other states should pursue, four sources familiar with the operations of the detention center told CBS News Miami.
"All vendors got the notice," one source explained.
The announcement was made by Kevin Guthrie, Florida's Emergency Management director, during a morning conference call with the vendors.
Guthrie told the vendors that he expected "significant progress by Wednesday" on clearing the site, according to one source.
The final few detainees left the facility last week, either being transferred to other detention centers or deported to third countries.
Federal and state officials at the time said it was due to safety concerns over the start of hurricane season.
They even suggested the facility would remain ready to take on new detainees.
In fact, officials familiar with the plan told CBS News Miami that it was always the intention to begin full demobilization by taking down fencing and removing trailers and other structures built at the site located in the middle of the Florida Everglades.
Each vendor at Alligator Alcatraz has a "demobilization" clause built into their contract. By invoking that clause, the state has triggered two key components to those contracts.
First, it allows the companies to charge the state a "demobilization fee" that will likely run into tens of millions of dollars. And second, it marks the end of each company's involvement with the facility.
For most of the companies it was welcome news, as many are owed millions of dollars.
That demobilization effort is expected to take approximately one week, and once it is completed, the site is expected to eventually reopen as a small airport used to train pilots.
The decision to close the facility has been speculated for the past two months, with even DeSantis saying he expected it to close soon.
"If we shut the lights out tomorrow, we will be able to say it served its purpose," DeSantis said earlier this month during a press conference.
DeSantis recently said upwards of 22,000 individuals were cycled through Alligator Alcatraz.
Conditions at the detention center have been harshly criticized by lawyers, families and human rights groups, who claimed detainees were routinely mistreated.
Amnesty International issued a highly critical report on conditions inside the facility.
Ultimately, though, the decision to close Alligator Alcatraz was due primarily to the escalating cost of operating the facility. The total cost for the detention center is now estimated to be $1.2 billion.
Opened on July 3, 2025, during last year's hurricane season, the detention center was the brainchild of DeSantis and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier and built using state tax money.
At the time, DeSantis maintained that the state would be reimbursed by the federal government for all of its expenses.
However, that funding has yet to come through.State officials submitted a $608 million request at the end of last year.
It was eventually approved by federal officials, but the actual reimbursement has been held up because of court challenges, environmental concerns and other issues.
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Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
