DHS chief says Alligator Alcatraz won’t close in the near term, eyes disaster plans and new detention beds

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin says there is no near-term plan to shut down the Alligator Alcatraz detention site in Florida, even as its vulnerability to hurricanes and wildfires is acknowledged. The department has disaster-contingency plans and is shifting from warehouse-style detention by exploring county jails and shuttered facilities to expand capacity more quickly. DHS is also moving to name a temporary ICE leader while a permanent director is sought, and Florida officials say they have not received a definitive path forward on the facility’s future.