May 7, 2026, 6:54 p.m. ET
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has discussed the potential closure of a South Florida immigration detention center known as “Alligator Alcatraz” just one year after the much-touted facility opened, President Donald Trump‘s border czar Tom Homan confirmed.
“We’re talking about it. We’re talking about a lot of detention facilities,” Homan told reporters on May 7 when asked about the possible closure of the state-run facility. Homan characterized the talks as part of the administration’s ongoing review of detention facility contracts, as well as the expansion and reduction of certain centers nationwide.
“There’s a whole process going on right now on the future of detention and filling out 100,000 beds,” he said, referring to the administration’s goal of extending detention capacity to more than 100,000 beds. “So that is in the mix amongst a lot of facilities.”
No decision has been made. Homan’s remarks followed a New York Times report that said Florida officials are in preliminary talks with the Trump administration about shutting down the Everglades facility because it has proven ineffective and expensive, costing the state about $1 million a day to operate.
Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, in a May 7 news conference, confirmed talks with the Trump administration about closing the facility. He also hailed the facility as a major success, saying it has housed 22,000 detainees, and said the federal government intends to reimburse Florida for the cost.
“It was always designed to be a temporary facility. It has made a major impact. And if we shut the lights out on it tomorrow, we will be able to say it served its purpose,” DeSantis said.
“It’s been discussed,” the governor added, “but they haven’t said they want to wind it down.”
Trump joined DeSantis in July 2025 to tour the Alligator Alcatraz facility, situated about 37 miles from Miami in an area inhabited by alligators, crocodiles and pythons. The White House seized on the image of alligators patrolling the facility to reinforce Trump’s hardline policy against illegal immigration. Trump
Though Homan did not criticize the effectiveness of Alligator Alcatraz — nor did he say a decision has been made to close it — he suggested fewer resources are needed in Florida, where state leaders are cooperating with Trump’s immigration policies, compared to Democratic-led cities and states.
“We need less resources in Florida than we do in sanctuary cities because … they are accepting retainers, they are working with us to remove public safety threats,” Homan said.
Currently, 1,383 detainees are being held at the facility, according to the latest Immigration and Customs Enforcement figures, vastly fewer than the 5,000 projected when it opened.
Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.
