Florida Funds $450M 'Alligator Alcatraz' Immigration Detention Center

The controversial Everglades immigrant detention center, known as "Alligator Alcatraz," opened in Florida after just eight days of construction, with a capacity to hold up to 5,000 detainees and cost an estimated $450 million annually to operate. While President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis have stated that the facility is funded with federal money, court documents from the Department of Homeland Security reveal that Florida has not yet received or applied for federal funds, and the state initially is covering all expenses. The facility was built under an emergency order signed by DeSantis and is managed with state contracts, including significant contracts awarded to companies linked to DeSantis donors, bypassing traditional procurement rules. DHS officials have indicated that reimbursement from FEMA's Shelter and Services Program will be sought later, but the state currently fronts the costs. Trump and DeSantis have advocated for similar detention centers nationwide, with Trump criticizing other states like California for not adopting such measures. The operation costs, including around $245 per bed per day, are justified by Trump as a better use of funds compared to previous Biden administration expenditures on housing undocumented immigrants in hotels.