Alligator Alcatraz Closes

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday that the Everglades immigration detention center nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz” has closed after nearly a year in operation, declaring that the temporary facility had “fulfilled” its mission. Built quickly on a remote former airstrip, the center became a high-profile symbol of the Trump administration’s deportation push and drew sustained criticism over its conditions, location and treatment of detainees. DeSantis, appearing with White House border czar Tom Homan, said the site was intended as an emergency, short-term solution until more permanent detention capacity became available. Officials said the facility no longer held detainees, marking the end of one of Florida’s most controversial immigration enforcement projects.