By Liv Caputo, Florida Phoenix
Federal immigration authorities say they’ve emptied the so-called “Alligator Alcatraz” lockup amid hurricane fears, transferring detainees to other facilities. But advocacy groups suing the state aren’t buying their explanation.
“They built it and filled it with people during the hurricane season last year, so that makes no sense,” attorney Paul Schwiep, representing the Friends of the Everglades in a year-long bid to shutter the remote center, said during a Zoom press conference Wednesday. “How stupid do they think we are?”
Other environmental group representatives alleged that authorities lack transparency, pointing to WINK News’ Tuesday report that ICE and state officials had quietly moved detainees from the facility, located deep within the Everglades, because of the hurricane season that began June 1.
“As we enter into hurricane season, ICE and the state of Florida have moved illegal aliens from the soft-sided facility,” an ICE spokesperson told the Phoenix. “For the safety of the illegal alien detainees, we transferred them to other facilities.”
Jessica Natham, a nature enjoyer who said she frequents the area outside the center, said Wednesday that the facility doesn’t look like it’s winding down. She reported seeing transport buses and vendors still on site, including jet fuel being brought onto the property.
But ICE’s announcement — aside from its reasoning for emptying the center — wasn’t unexpected. For weeks, reports abounded that state and federal authorities planned to scale down operations — even though Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Department of Homeland Security insisted there were no “official” talks about shutting down.
Neither ICE nor the governor’s office responded to questions about whether this is a permanent move. ICE also didn’t explain the differences in severity of the 2026 hurricane season versus the 2025 hurricane season, considering the center was built in late June 2025 and opened that July 1.
Ahead of the center’s opening, Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie claimed the lockup could withstand a Category 2 hurricane.
Wednesday’s press conference was hosted by representatives for Friends of the Everglades, the Center for Biological Diversity and Earthjustice — all groups that have sued Florida over alleged environmental threats posed by the facility.
Most recently, the groups claimed the state violated the National Environmental Protection Act because it hadn’t completed a federal environmental study ahead of construction. But an appellate court disagreed, saying the facility is state run so not subject to federal environmental laws.
The case has been kicked back to the trial court for final resolution.
“‘Alligator Alcatraz’ will go down as one of the biggest failures in American history,” said Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglades. “Our government failed to protect the Everglades and failed to follow basic environmental laws — while racking up a $1 billion tab paid by taxpayers.”
Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com. Banner photo: A sign outside Alligator Alcatraz (iStock image).
