Florida's Controversial 'Alligator Alcatraz' Facility Nears Emptying After Judge's Ruling

The Trump administration has begun transferring detainees out of the Florida-run "Alligator Alcatraz" immigration detention site, moving them to other centers, according to two Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials. This significant shift follows a federal judge's order to pause the facility's operations, as reported by CBS News' Camilo Montoya-Galvez. The controversial site, located deep within the Florida Everglades, is now expected to be empty of detainees within days.

U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams issued an order halting new construction and prohibiting the transfer of new detainees to "Alligator Alcatraz." The ruling also mandated that state officials remove fencing, light fixtures, generators, and other equipment within 60 days. Judge Williams later declined to stay her ruling pending appeal, rejecting requests from the Trump administration and Florida officials who argued the facility was essential for immigration enforcement.

The "Alligator Alcatraz" facility, officially known as the South Florida Detention Facility, was rapidly constructed at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport and opened on July 1, 2025. Designed to hold up to 3,000 individuals, its population peaked near 1,000 detainees. However, U.S. Representative Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., stated that only 300 to 350 detainees remained last week, indicating a sharp decline in its population.

Kevin Guthrie, Executive Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, confirmed the rapid emptying of the site, stating in an email to a South Florida rabbi that the facility would likely be "down to 0 individuals within a few days." While DHS affirmed its compliance with the court order, it criticized the ruling as an attempt to impede the administration's deportation efforts.

The facility has been the subject of multiple lawsuits and widespread criticism over alleged inhumane conditions, including reports of unsanitary food, non-flushing toilets, and limited access to legal counsel. Environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe also challenged its construction, citing threats to the sensitive Everglades ecosystem and indigenous lands. Florida had invested an estimated $218 million in the facility, with contracts totaling over $405 million, raising questions about financial implications as operations wind down. Governor Ron DeSantis' administration has indicated plans for a second immigration detention facility in Florida, dubbed "Deportation Depot."