Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the closure "Alligator Alcatraz," Florida's illegal alien immigration detention center in the Everglades, while speaking at a press conference in Ochopee this week.
"I said from the beginning that this was an emergency solution that would be temporary, that once DHS [Department of Homeland Security] had the wherewithal to be able to handle these illegal aliens, particularly the criminal illegal aliens, that they would be able to do so, and we would still help," DeSantis said. "We'll still do the 287(g), we're still going to be participating in that - but in terms of us managing this facility to the minute that's no longer needed, then we obviously would break down the facility."
Alligator Alcatraz, built to help the Trump administration expedite illegal aliens out of the United States, opened in July 2025. DeSantis emphasized the center has removed almost 21,000 criminal migrants, including for murder, attempted murder, child molestation, drug trafficking, aggravated assault, and sexual assault.
"Alligator Alcatraz fulfilled the role that it was designed to serve. Today it now has zero detainees. It has helped remove many, many dangerous people from the street and get them not only the state of Florida, but the United States of America," DeSantis continued.
Gov. DeSantis added that migrants removed from the facility are still in federal custody. Florida also has an illegal immigration detention center known as "Deporation Depot" in Baker County, which DeSantis noted has processed almost 10,000 criminal migrants.
Deportation Depot is still in operation.
"We stood this up, we surged critical resources, we built critical infrastructure, we were able to manage very complex operations, and we were able to efficiently execute the mission when called upon," DeSantis said. "There's no question that this mission has made the state of Florida safer. There's no question that releasing some of these folks would have represented a clear and present danger to the well-being of Floridians up and down the Florida peninsula - our efforts to support this important mission of immigration enforcement continues."
White House Border Czar Tom Homan, alongside Gov. DeSantis, thanked Florida for its cooperation with the Trump administration in removal efforts. Homan noted the state's 287(g) partnership with DHS, which permits U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Removal Operations (ERO) to work with state and local law enforcement partners to arrest and remove illegal migrants from the United States, has helped remove more aliens "by far" of any state in the country.
Homan later mentioned the number at 40%.
"We hope more governors follow the lead of Governor DeSantis," Homan said. "President Trump achieved the most secure border in the history of this nation. He has record numbers of arrests and deportations, majority of them criminals, which means this country is safer every day."
