Florida may lose $218M on empty ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ as judge orders shutdown
August 28, 2025
Florida could be on the hook for the $218 million cost of converting an airport in the Everglades into an immigration detention center that may soon be empty of detainees. A federal judge has ordered operations to wind down at the center due to environmental concerns. The facility, known as “Alligator Alcatraz,” has been emptying of detainees. U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams on Wednesday denied requests to pause her order, despite claims it would disrupt immigration enforcement. The Department of Homeland Security says it’s complying and moving detainees elsewhere. Civil rights groups also have filed lawsuits over detainee treatment at the facility.