Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced Friday that deportation flights have officially begun from the state’s controversial new immigration detention center, known informally as “Alligator Alcatraz.”
The facility, located deep within the Big Cypress National Preserve in South Florida, began transferring detainees earlier this week. According to the governor, two to three federal flights have already removed about 100 individuals from the facility, sending them to undisclosed destinations outside the United States. Additional flights have transferred hundreds of other detainees to other U.S. immigration detention centers.
“You’re going to see the numbers go up dramatically,” DeSantis said during a press conference held near the site of Alligator Alcatraz. “The cadence is increasing. These removals are going to be happening on a consistent basis.” He added that the runway at the facility allows for fast and direct departures. “You’re just a couple thousand feet from the runway and then they’re on a plane,” he said.
Alligator Alcatraz, built on the grounds of the long-defunct Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, was constructed in late June and opened in early July. Its isolated location in the Everglades, surrounded by alligator-infested swampland, has led critics to liken it to a high-security prison. The facility is designed to hold between 2,000 and 4,000 detainees at full capacity and serves as a processing center for undocumented immigrants detained in Florida. The site includes air-conditioned housing units, medical services, laundry, and legal visitation areas, according to state officials.
Governor DeSantis said the creation of Alligator Alcatraz was necessary because the federal government lacked the capacity to deal with the high volume of undocumented immigrants in Florida. “We didn’t wait on Washington. We built this center in a matter of days, and it’s already making a difference,” he said. “We now have the ability to detain and remove people efficiently.” He also said the state is working with federal agencies to increase the pace of removals and plans to allow Florida National Guard legal officers to serve as immigration judges to speed up processing.
State officials confirmed that the flights are being conducted by the Department of Homeland Security and that additional personnel have been added to enforce immigration laws at Alligator Alcatraz. Florida has expanded its partnerships with local law enforcement under the federal 287(g) program, which enables sheriff’s deputies and state agents to act as immigration officers. Larry Keefe, director of the State Board of Immigration Enforcement, said the number of trained personnel has doubled, with more than 1,200 deputies and 650 agents now involved in immigration enforcement. “This gives us the ability to arrest, detain, and remove individuals much more effectively than before,” Keefe said.
Not everyone is on board with the governor’s aggressive approach. Democratic lawmakers and immigrant rights groups have voiced strong opposition to Alligator Alcatraz, calling it inhumane and legally questionable. They argue that the remote location makes legal access difficult and that conditions inside the camp do not meet acceptable standards. Reports from advocacy organizations have cited issues such as poor sanitation, overcrowding, and inadequate medical care. “This facility is an affront to our values,” said State Senator Shevrin Jones, a Democrat from South Florida. “It isolates people, denies them basic rights, and sets a dangerous precedent for how we treat the vulnerable.” Several lawsuits have already been filed, challenging the environmental impact of the facility and the emergency powers used by the governor to construct it without public review.
Despite the criticism, DeSantis defended the operation and said the state will seek reimbursement from the federal government for the costs of running Alligator Alcatraz, which are estimated to exceed $450 million annually. He pointed out that FEMA has made funds available for states that assist in detention operations and expressed confidence that Florida’s efforts will qualify for reimbursement. “We’re doing the job the federal government has failed to do,” he said. “We expect them to help cover the costs.”
As of Friday, officials say Alligator Alcatraz houses roughly 2,000 detainees, with plans to increase that number in the coming weeks. Governor DeSantis signaled that Florida will continue to ramp up enforcement efforts. “We’re just getting started,” he said. “This is going to be a sustained operation.”
