A report recently published by The New York Times reported that the Government of Florida has held talks with the administration of Donald Trump to seek closure of the controversial immigration detention center called “Alligator Alcatraz”.
According to the media, conversations about an eventual closure of the center arose after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) concluded that “Alligator Alcatraz” It is too expensive to maintain and its performance has been rated as “inefficient.”.
Furthermore, the closure of the complex would take place amid legal and environmental disputes due to its location and the unsanitary conditions in which detained migrants remain.
Currently, “Alligator Alcatraz” is in the Everglades ecological reserve, located in southern Florida. The center was inaugurated in June 2025 by President Donald Trump.
In addition, the center has cost millions of dollars, an amount that has not been reimbursed by the federal government. The outlet claims that the state of Florida has not received federal reimbursement for almost US$608 million that it requested for the operation of the complex.
Currently, according to figures from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE), in “Alligator Alcatraz” There are about 1,400 detainees.
Last April, an appeals court allowed the immigration center to continue operating and receive new detainees, after an order requiring its temporary closure was revoked.
In the environmental field, the immigration center has received numerous criticisms from environmental groups and the Miccosukee tribe, who argued that the infrastructure had to undergo an environmental impact assessment.