DeSantis made his remarks at a news conference in Lakeland, responding to questions about the Everglades detention site’s future. He said the center, known as “Alligator Alcatraz,” always was intended to be temporary and that Florida would expect it to end if the federal government determined it could move detainees to other locations.
The comments came as The New York Times reported that state and federal officials were in early talks about shutting down the facility. DeSantis did not describe a specific timetable, but he said, “At some point, we will, of course, break it down. That was always the goal,” and repeated that the decision would depend on DHS planning.
DeSantis said DHS officials have not indicated they want the center closed. He linked the renewed conversation about the facility to DHS’s leadership change, saying that the idea has been discussed since DHS got a new secretary, Markwayne Mullin, in late March, and that officials were reviewing detention operations after his arrival.
When asked about the facility’s potential wind-down, DeSantis said that if DHS “feels it has the resources to house detainees elsewhere,” the center would be phased out. DHS has not announced such a plan, but Florida’s governor suggested that federal officials could reassess where detainees are held as part of ongoing operational evaluations.
DHS on Thursday denied that it was pressing Florida to stop operating the detention center. In a statement, the department said, “Florida continues to be a valuable partner in advancing President Trump’s immigration agenda, and DHS appreciates their support,” and added that “DHS continuously evaluates detention needs and requirements to ensure they meet the latest operational requirements.”
The dispute over the center’s operation has unfolded alongside litigation and detainee accounts about conditions and access to legal counsel. Detainees at “Alligator Alcatraz” have described poor physical conditions and difficulty accessing lawyers, according to the AP report.
A detainee handbook made public as part of a lawsuit described how detainees are segregated based on criminal history and whether they are considered a flight risk. The handbook also says that during regular head counts, detainees are not allowed to move or talk, and that if they do, they can be punished and everyone in their dorm can be locked in their housing unit, according to the AP summary of the document.
Florida has also made the detention facility’s financial burden part of its public argument. DeSantis said the state has spent more than $1 million a day to run the center and that he expects reimbursement from the federal government, but the state has not yet received $608 million it has requested.