Immigration Detention Center 'Alligator Alcatraz' Emptied Amid Hurricane Season Concerns

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced that all detainees have been transferred from the South Florida Detention Center, commonly known as "Alligator Alcatraz," an immigration facility located on an isolated airstrip in the Florida Everglades. DHS cited hurricane season safety concerns as the reason for the evacuation, with spokesperson Lauren Bis stating, "For the safety of the illegal alien detainees, we transferred them to other facilities." However, the department did not disclose the number of detainees transferred or their new locations, nor did it clarify whether the facility would close permanently or temporarily.

The facility, which opened on July 3, 2025, was built rapidly by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' administration and was toured by President Donald Trump two days before opening. It has operated for 11 months and, according to DeSantis in May 2026, has processed and deported approximately 22,000 detainees. The announcement came shortly after the National Hurricane Center reported the formation of the first tropical storm of the 2026 hurricane season off the Texas coast. DeSantis previously stated the facility was always intended to be temporary.

The detention center's conditions have drawn severe criticism from lawyers, families, and human rights groups since its opening. Detainees reported significant problems including worms in food, non-functioning toilets, floors flooded with fecal waste, and pervasive mosquitoes and insects. Additionally, detainees described difficulties accessing legal representation. Immigration attorney Katie Blankenship reported that all 50 clients she and colleagues were assisting have been transferred to facilities in South Florida, California, Arizona, Louisiana, and Texas.

However, immigration advocates and legal representatives dispute the official rationale for the transfers. They argue that hurricane season is a pretext, noting that the facility opened in July 2025, in the middle of the Atlantic hurricane season, yet remained operational. Community advocate Arianne Betancourt stated, "That's a nonsense excuse because they opened in the middle of the worst part of hurricane season last year." Advocates noted they observed an increase in transfers over the preceding two weeks, during which they lost contact with dozens of detainees.

Amy Godshall, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union who filed a lawsuit against state and federal authorities over lack of legal access, stated that while transferring detainees represents "an important step," it does not remedy the harm caused. "The state and federal government must permanently close this facility and commit to never detaining people there again," Godshall said. The Florida Division of Emergency Management did not immediately respond to requests for comment.