It’s been a good run for Florida’s immigrant detention facility in the Everglades, which state leaders opened last year on spec as part of a round-up of undocumented aliens starting when President Donald Trump returned to office.
But when it comes to “Alligator Alcatraz,” Sen. Ashley Moody is saying that the lock-up has done its job and that its mission has been fulfilled, after it was opened to handle detainees the federal government couldn’t handle.
“Since then, there have been other detention alternatives opened, and I think you’re hearing from Florida officials that they feel it’s served its purpose, and we can now move on to more permanent structures,” the Plant City Republican and former state Attorney General said Saturday on “Fox News Live.”
Moody’s comments jibe with those of the person who appointed her to the Senate.
Gov. Ron DeSantis said this week that it would be “great for us to break that facility down.”
The New York Times reports that operations cost $1 million a day. While the Department of Homeland Security reportedly cut the state a check for $668 million, it has yet to be delivered.
Attorney General James Uthmeier said this year he expects the state to “largely be reimbursed,” but that’s a term of art.
The Department of Justice says any reimbursement would cover “operational costs,” not the estimated $245 million spent on “construction or facility modification,” suggesting that the infrastructural costs will come at the expense of traditional priorities of the state, such as health care, corrections, infrastructure and funding nonprofits.
For his part, DeSantis is untroubled, saying that FEMA reimbursements take a long time and that he has been buttonholing Border Czar Tom Homan to pay the state back.
Regarding the facility’s future, DHS hasn’t said what its plans are.
“Any reports that DHS is pressuring the state to cease operations at Alligator Alcatraz are false,” a spokesperson said. “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.”
