Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced the closure of the detention center for illegal migrants known as Alligator Alcatraz. Establishmentwhich US President Donald Trump previously called an example for other states, lasted just under a year – During this time, the center became the subject of numerous lawsuits from human rights and environmental organizations, writes The Washington Post.
According to Desantis, Alcatraz with alligators was created to temporarily house illegal migrants detained after Donald Trump returned to the White House. The center has fulfilled its task, so there is no longer a need for it – work is already underway at the site to wind down activities, the governor noted.
“The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is now in a stronger position and better positioned to house these people. “I’ve always said, we’re only doing this because there’s a need,” DeSantis said.
The governor also emphasized that the center's activities contributed to strengthening security in Florida.
“We built this facility from the ground up, committed the necessary resources, built the infrastructure, managed extremely complex operations and effectively carried out our mission,” DeSantis said.
At the same time, Desantis pointed out that the closure of Alcatraz with alligators does not mean the end of the fight against illegal immigration. Florida will continue to participate in the 287(g) program, which allows local law enforcement agencies to perform select functions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In addition, the Baker County detention center will continue to operate.
The center, located in the Everglades and surrounded by alligators, was built in eight days last summer. Since its opening, it has been heavily criticized by human rights and environmental groups. In particular, detainees reported unsanitary conditions: portable toilets regularly overflowed, rainwater leaked into the tents, and mosquitoes swarmed in the bathrooms and showers.
Immigration lawyers also argued that detainees were improperly restricted from accessing legal assistance and medical care.
“From the beginning, I have expressed serious concerns about the Alcatraz Alligator Center, where people were held in inhumane conditions without due process of law, and the facility occupied land adjacent to one of the most valuable ecosystems in the world,” Miami-Dade County Mayor Danielle Levine Cava said in a statement Thursday.
Between 22,000 and 25,000 migrants passed through the center during the year. ICE officials previously said more than 1,000 people at the facility when it closed have been transferred to other detention centers. However, the exact location of their further placement is not disclosed.
As RTVI.US previously reported, the total costs of operating the center are estimated at almost $1 billion. According to ABC News, part of the costs will be offset by the federal Shelter and Services Program, funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Full reimbursement remains questionable.
