White House Border Czar: Alligator Alcatraz Facility May Close

White House border czar Tom Homan said Thursday that there is talk about closing the Florida immigration detention facility known as Alligator Alcatraz, but officials do not yet know whether it will be shut down. Homan made the comments when asked if the administration and Florida officials were discussing the facility's closure.

The facility has operated as a detention center for individuals encountered at the southern border. An appeals court ruled in April that the Florida-run facility was not under federal control. The court determined the facility did not need to comply with a federal law that requires an environmental impact review.

Florida has run the center independently of direct federal oversight according to the court's finding. Homan's remarks indicate ongoing conversations between federal and state officials about the site's future. No final decision on closure has been announced.

The appeals court decision from April established that the facility falls outside federal environmental compliance requirements. This followed disputes over whether federal law applied to its construction and operation. The ruling has shaped subsequent discussions about the facility's status. Officials have not detailed how the decision affects current operations or potential closure plans.