DHS Confirms All Detainees Transferred From Alligator Alcatraz Facility

The Department of Homeland Security has transferred all detainees out of the temporary immigration facility known as Alligator Alcatraz in the Florida Everglades, according to statements from both DHS and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The relocation was completed ahead of the Atlantic hurricane season, which begins June 1.

DHS stated that the facility has been fully vacated. An ICE spokesperson confirmed the transfers occurred due to hurricane concerns. The facility, consisting of tents on a remote airstrip, had operated since early July 2025.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday in Winter Haven that the site was initially planned for six months to a year of use. He indicated the necessity of the facility would be reassessed over the next week or two. The Trump administration and DeSantis administration both declined to comment on relocation plans or the site's future.

The facility was funded through Florida's Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund following a 2023 executive order declaring an immigration-related state of emergency. More than $6.5 billion has been spent from the fund since 2022, with $573 million allocated to immigration projects including the detention site.

The fund balance stood at $256 million as of a March estimate. The Legislature approved $250 million for the fund in the current state budget, contingent on DeSantis signing SB 7040, which would require legislative consultation on certain emergencies and quarterly spending reports.

DeSantis has received $58 million of $608 million in expected federal reimbursement for the site.

Lawsuits by environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe remain ongoing. The suits allege the facility was built without required environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act. Government agencies have maintained that the site is state-run and that federal review was unnecessary.