OCHOPEE, Fla. (WPEC) — Gov. Ron DeSantis and White House Border Czar Tom Homan spoke Thursday at a remote Everglades site known as Alligator Alcatraz as the immigration detention facility was being shut down after months of operation.
The press conference was held at the now former immigration facility, Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, along Tamiami Trail East in Collier County.
DeSantis was joined by Homan and Florida State Board of Immigration Enforcement Executive Director Anthony Coker. The governor said the facility was created as a temporary solution to a lack of federal detention space and had fulfilled its purpose.
“This was an emergency situation,” DeSantis said.
Alligator Alcatraz fulfilled the role that it was designed to serve.”
Governor Ron DeSantis and White House Border Czar Tom Homan are set to appear Thursday at a remote Everglades site known as Alligator Alcatraz, as questions grow about the future of the isolated facility. (WPEC)
State officials said the facility had zero detainees as of Thursday, and demobilization efforts were underway. DeSantis said the site would likely be dismantled within about a week to two weeks.
The governor said the site helped facilitate nearly 21,000 deportations, many involving individuals with serious criminal histories. He said the facility prevented detainees from being released back into communities while awaiting removal.
“We did not want to be in a situation where they’re being released back on the street because there’s not sufficient bed space,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis said the state stepped in to assist federal authorities when the Department of Homeland Security lacked capacity, adding the facility allowed detainees to be processed and deported quickly due to its proximity to an airstrip.
Officials also said more than 30,000 individuals overall were processed through state-supported enforcement efforts, including additional operations at a detention facility in Baker County, sometimes referred to as the “Panhandle Pokey.”
Homan praised Florida’s cooperation with federal authorities, highlighting the state’s widespread use of 287(g) agreements that allow local law enforcement agencies to assist with immigration enforcement.
Homan said:
Florida accounts for about 40% of all 287(g) arrests in the country.”
Homan said the partnership reduced the need for federal agents to conduct arrests in neighborhoods by allowing individuals to be transferred directly from jails, which he said improves safety for both officers and communities.
Governor Ron DeSantis and White House Border Czar Tom Homan are set to appear Thursday at a remote Everglades site known as Alligator Alcatraz, as questions grow about the future of the isolated facility. (WPEC)
“This isn’t the end of the relationship,” Homan said. “This is a continuation.”
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The location has drawn attention in recent years due to its remote setting deep in the Everglades. Surrounded by wetlands and wildlife, it earned the nickname Alligator Alcatraz. The site has been used for training exercises and secure operations, and its isolation made it a strategic staging area for detainee processing and deportation flights.
The facility also drew criticism from environmental advocates and immigrant rights groups, who raised concerns about its remote location, oversight, and potential impact on the surrounding Everglades ecosystem.
In the days leading up to the event, online discussions and local reporting raised questions about whether the facility could be scaled back or shut down. The speculation followed a report from our news partners at CBS Miami, which cited sources saying the site could be permanently closed.
During Thursday’s press conference, state officials confirmed the facility was closing as federal agencies increased their capacity to manage detainees.
DeSantis emphasized the site was always intended to be temporary and said Florida would continue assisting federal immigration efforts through other means, including ongoing cooperation agreements and the Baker County facility.
“The minute that that’s no longer needed, then we obviously would break down the facility,” the governor said.
Officials said the state will continue working with federal partners and could provide support through existing correctional infrastructure if needed, though DeSantis indicated a similar emergency facility was unlikely in the future.
No additional announcements were made beyond the closure timeline and operational updates.