Key Information

• Location: Florida’s Everglades, known as “Alligator Alcatraz.”
• Current Status: Expected to be empty within days as operations wind down.
• Legal Action: A federal judge ordered closure by late October; an appeal is in progress.
• Detention Capacity: Only 300 to 350 detainees currently being utilized out of thousands of available beds.
• Environmental Concerns: Lawsuit by environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe over potential ecological damage.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A top official in Florida has indicated that the controversial immigration detention facility in the Everglades is likely to be vacated soon. This comes amid ongoing legal battles between Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration and federal entities regarding a judge’s order to close the facility, often referred to as “Alligator Alcatraz,” by the end of October. An email exchange disclosed to The Associated Press reveals that Florida Division of Emergency Management Executive Director Kevin Guthrie expects the facility to be “down to 0 individuals within a few days.”

This information came to light in a message sent to a South Florida rabbi concerning chaplaincy services at the detention center. The executive assistant for the rabbi confirmed the authenticity of the email to the AP. A spokesperson for Guthrie’s office did not respond to requests for comment.

The news about the detainment facility potentially being emptied arrives shortly after a federal judge in Miami mandated that operations be concluded, requiring the removal of the last detainee within 60 days. Although Florida has appealed this decision, the federal government has requested U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams to pause her ruling while the appeal is considered, arguing that the Everglades facility’s substantial capacity is urgently required due to overcrowding in other state detention facilities.

Opposition to this request has come from environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe, whose lawsuit led to the ruling. They argue that the Everglades facility is unnecessary, especially given the state’s plans for a second immigration detention center in northern Florida, branded as the “Deportation Depot” by DeSantis. During a recent tour of the South Florida facility, U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., reported being informed that only a small fraction of the facility’s capacity was currently in use.

As of Wednesday, Judge Williams had not made a decision regarding the stay request. In her order, she mentioned that the facility’s population is expected to decline within two months as detainees are transferred to other facilities. Following the transfer, she indicated that infrastructure like fencing, lighting, and generators should be dismantled. She added that no new detainees could be admitted except for those already present at the facility.

The environmental lawsuit contends that the facility’s operation jeopardizes sensitive wetlands, which are home to protected species, and contravenes decades of investments aimed at environmental restoration.

This detention center was hastily constructed two months ago at a minimally utilized training airport within the Everglades. The state has engaged in contracts exceeding $245 million for its construction and operation, with the facility launching operations on July 1.

___ Associated Press writer Mike Schneider contributed to this report. Kate Payne serves as a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative, a nonprofit dedicated to covering underreported local stories.