Officials Discuss Closing Alligator Alcatraz Facility

Federal and state officials are holding preliminary discussions about closing Alligator Alcatraz, a temporary immigration detention facility in Florida's Everglades, after months of operation marked by high costs and significant migrant processing.

The site, located at the remote Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport between Miami and Naples, opened last summer on 6,000 acres of state land. Constructed in eight days using tents and trailers, it was designed as an emergency response to detain federal immigration detainees, primarily men. As of last month, it held nearly 1,400 individuals, with about two-thirds classified as noncriminal by Immigration and Customs Enforcement data. A senior Florida government official stated that the facility has processed more than 21,000 migrants for deportation since its inception.

Talks to wind down operations stem from the site's expense, with officials reporting daily costs exceeding $1 million. The state spent $390 million in its first months, according to records obtained by environmental groups, and had planned expenditures over $1 billion. The Federal Emergency Management Agency initially estimated annual costs at $450 million. The...