DeSantis backs plan to close Florida's controversial Alligator Alcatraz detention site

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signaled support for shuttering the Alligator Alcatraz immigration detention facility in the Everglades after the state spent hundreds of millions building and operating it. He cited discussions with DHS leadership and reimbursement questions, noting federal reimbursement may cover only per-detainee costs, potentially leaving Florida taxpayers on the hook. The move follows years of promotion of the site as a deterrent and signals a possible DHS shift in enforcement strategy, drawing reaction from critics and local officials.