The controversial immigration detention center dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” could soon shut down — a dramatic reversal following months of resistance led by the Miccosukee Tribe, Native advocates, and environmental groups who warned the facility never should have been built on Indigenous homelands in the Florida Everglades.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis acknowledged this week that state officials are discussing closing the detention center, saying the site was always meant to be temporary. The announcement comes amid mounting scrutiny over soaring operational costs, environmental concerns, and lawsuits challenging the legality of the project.
For tribal leaders, the possible closure represents a rare and hard-fought victory against a project they say desecrated sacred lands and ignored tribal sovereignty from the beginning.
In previous reporting by Native News Online, Miccosukee leaders condemned the detention center’s construction near traditional villages and ceremonial areas deep within the Everglades ecosystem. Tribal officials argued the state moved forward without meaningful consultation while threatening lands Indigenous peoples have protected for generations.
Miccosukee Chairman Talbert Cypress warned the project endangered areas “sacred to our people,” vowing the Tribe would continue defending its homelands, culture, and way of life.