The potential future of Alligator Alcatraz remained in question while Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) remained confident about the “major impact” provided by the facility.
(Video Credit: Gov. Ron DeSantis)
If corporate media were attempting to find failure in the coordination of President Donald Trump’s administration and DeSantis on tackling illegal immigration, America’s Governor had a simple reality check on Thursday. Following reports that emphasized the costs of operating the illegal immigrant detention center and rumors of its impending closure, the Florida executive simply reminded, “It was always designed to be a temporary facility.”
“It has made a major impact,” DeSantis continued while fielding questions after a bill signing, “and if we shut the lights out tomorrow, we will be able to say it served its purpose, because it was responsible for helping with almost 22,000 illegal aliens, and that ultimately is what it’s all about.”
The response from the governor followed reporting from The New York Times that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials concluded that continued operation of Alligator Alcatraz remains too costly at roughly $1 million per day.
“They haven’t said they want to wind it down. It’s been discussed,” said DeSantis while his state awaited federal reimbursement for some $600 million in costs related to the facility. “We knew that it would take some time for them to stand it up, but ultimately our goal on this was for that facility to be a bridge.”
“If they can handle that, then yeah, that would be great for us to break that facility down,” he added as plans to build another facility in Lake County have been on hold. “I think it makes sense that DHS is evaluating what their footprint is, how they can best accomplish the mission, and we’ll continue to be a partner with them as they go forward.”
In a statement to Politico, DHS remarked, “Florida continues to be a valuable partner in advancing President Trump’s immigration agenda, and DHS appreciates their support.”
“DHS continuously evaluates detention needs and requirements to ensure they meet the latest operational requirements,” added the agency.
Meanwhile, as with virtually every move made by the Trump administration to restore national sovereignty and undo the damage done by the open border agenda, a number of lawsuits had been brought against the facility in bids to shut it down.
Friends of the Everglades executive director Eve Samples, whose organization intends to continue litigation over alleged damage to the environment even if there is a closure, told the Tampa Bay Times, “This dark chapter in Everglades history can’t end soon enough. Until then, we’re not taking our foot off the gas, we’re headed back to federal district court with more strong claims to bring. The only acceptable remedy is shutting down Alligator Alcatraz and full remediation of the harm inflicted.”
Likewise, activist preacher Rev. Andrew Oliver of Allendale United Methodist Church, previously jailed for alleged misdemeanor resisting after kneeling in the street to protest the removal of a “Black History Matters” mural, told the outlet, “Florida spent more than $1 million a day to warehouse human beings in the Everglades for a political stunt. This facility should never have existed, and closing it is only the beginning.”
“The people who built this cruel machine owe the public an apology, an accounting, and a promise that no immigrant family will ever again be used as a prop for political theater,” he added.
DeSantis reminded that the Deportation Depot in northern Florida also remained in operation as his state would continue working with the federal government to handle the removal of illegal aliens. “If they’re able to handle that so that you’re not releasing thousands of people … then yeah, that would be great for us to break that facility down.”
