Additional Coverage:
“Alligator Alcatraz,” the controversial Everglades immigration facility, is about to be detainee-free. This comes according to an email obtained by ABC News from Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie. In a message to the interfaith community, Guthrie stated, “We are probably going to be down to 0 individuals within a few days.”
The facility has been mired in legal battles, with one lawsuit successfully halting the transfer of new detainees. Last week, U.S.
District Judge Kathleen Williams ordered the effective wind-down of operations at “Alligator Alcatraz.” State and federal officials sought to stay this order pending appeal, citing overcrowding in other detention centers and the substantial cost of closing the facility.
Judge Williams denied their request Wednesday, noting the facility’s rapid eight-day construction and its intended temporary nature.
Despite visits from President Trump and high-ranking Homeland Security officials, and an estimated cost of $400 million, the facility’s future remains uncertain. An appeals court has yet to weigh in on the matter, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently announced the opening of a new immigration detention facility in the state, referred to as “Deportation Depot.” This new facility raises further questions about the state’s immigration policies and the future of detainee housing in Florida.