Florida's "Alligator Alcatraz" could close in June, sources say
The closure comes amid escalating operating costs for the facility, which are now estimated to total nearly $1 billion.
Updated on: May 12, 2026 / 5:30 PM EDT / CBS Miami
"They said the last detainee will leave in June," one source said.
The decision to close the facility has been speculated about for the past week, with Gov. Ron DeSantis saying he expected it to close soon. "If we shut the lights out tomorrow, we will be able to say it served its purpose," DeSantis said last week during a news conference.
Tuesday's announcement to the vendors is the first formal acknowledgment that the facility was closing and would wind down relatively quickly. Officials from the Florida Department of Emergency Management (FDEM) delivered the news to the vendors at the site. Kevin Guthrie, the director of FDEM, did not return calls seeking comment.
Once the approximately 1,400 people currently held at the facility are removed — either transferred to other detention centers or deported — state officials told vendors the process to "demobilize" the site will begin. This will involve taking down fencing, removing trailers and other structures built at the site, which is located in the middle of the Everglades. That demobilization is expected to take another two to three weeks. After demobilization is complete, the site will reopen as a small airport used to train pilots.