Florida immigration detention Alligator Alcatraz closure Everglades detention center Ron DeSantis immigration policy Trump immigration crackdown

Florida is moving to close the infamous “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration detention center in the Everglades after it became too expensive to operate, according to The New York Times.

The embattled facility—costing the state $1 million per day to run—has faced allegations of unsafe living conditions, abusive treatment, and protests from Native American groups over its environmental harms. The facility, once hailed as a success by President Trump and Governor Ron DeSantis, now faces imminent closure.

Homeland Security officials have also deemed the facility too costly to maintain, according to a federal official who spoke with The Times. However, no official decision to close it has been made.

The failure of the facility can be partly attributed to Trump’s withdrawal of federal funding for its construction. While the federal government promised to reimburse Florida for hosting the detention center, no payments have been made to date.

The swampy location, which Trump touted as a deterrent for detained immigrants, also posed logistical challenges. Workers struggled to transport supplies, sewage, and themselves to and from the center.

Though no official announcement has been made, the closure of Alligator Alcatraz would symbolize the shifting public opinion on Trump’s widely unpopular immigration policies. The Department of Homeland Security and DeSantis’s office have not yet commented on the report.

Source: The New Republic
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