Florida has closed the Everglades immigration detention center known as "Alligator Alcatraz," Gov. Ron DeSantis said this week, ending operations at a site that drew national attention and legal challenges. For readers following immigration policy, detention standards, or hurricane-season emergency planning, the closure matters because state and federal agencies had already moved detainees and begun formal demobilization steps.

According to the Florida governor's office, DeSantis said the facility "served its purpose." Federal records and court filings show the shutdown followed a series of official actions, including a U.S. Department of Homeland Security move to relocate detainees as a hurricane precaution, a federal demobilization notice, and a U.S. District Court order directing operations to cease.

"Alligator Alcatraz served its purpose," DeSantis said in a June 25 statement released by the Office of the Governor of Florida.

What state and federal records show about the closure

The most direct state confirmation came from the Office of the Governor of Florida, which announced the closure and published a press briefing transcript on June 25. The governor's office said the detention center would no longer operate.

Federal agencies had already taken several steps pointing to the same outcome. On June 16, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said all detainees had been moved from the site as a hurricane-season precaution. The Federal Register then published a June 15 demobilization notice for the South Florida detention facility known as Alligator Alcatraz.

  • June 15: The Federal Register published a notice of demobilization and permanent closure.
  • June 16: DHS said all detainees had been moved from the facility.
  • June 25: DeSantis announced the site had closed and said it had served its purpose.

A federal court also weighed in. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida issued an order granting a preliminary injunction to cease operations at the facility. That court action added legal force to the shutdown process.

Why the site drew scrutiny

The detention center was promoted by Florida and the Trump administration after its 2025 opening, with public statements from the governor's office and the U.S. Department of State describing the facility and a presidential visit. At the same time, civil rights groups and other critics said conditions at the site were inhumane.

This article is based on official records and statements from the agencies involved. Where public claims have been disputed, the source of that dispute is also official. DHS, for example, separately published a statement in 2025 saying it was debunking what it called hoaxes about the facility.

For readers who want to understand how this newsroom handles sourcing and official claims, our Source Transparency and Editorial Policy pages explain those standards.

What happens next after the shutdown

The immediate practical effect is that the detention center is no longer operating, and detainees had already been transferred out, according to DHS. People tracking specific detainees or immigration case status should use official federal channels, including DHS and the relevant immigration court or detention locator system, rather than assuming anyone remains at the Everglades site.

Key points readers can act on:

  • Families and legal representatives should check detainee location through official DHS or immigration court channels.
  • Advocates and residents looking for the legal status of the site should refer to the federal court injunction and the Federal Register closure notice.
  • Readers with questions for this newsroom can use our Contact Us page.

The closure brings an end to a short but heavily disputed chapter in Florida's immigration detention system, with the official record now showing the site has been demobilized, emptied, and shut down.

Primary sources: U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Federal Register, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) / DHS Joint Statement. Reported by Source Text Link, Office of the Governor of Florida, Office of the Governor of Florida (Ron DeSantis), Chattanooga Times Free Press.