OCHOPEE — Governor Ron DeSantis declared the mission of Alligator Alcatraz fulfilled and announced demobilization of the state-supported federal detention facility, capping an operation that contributed to nearly 30,000 additional deportations and made Florida responsible for more than 40% of all state and local immigration arrests nationwide.
“Florida led the way in increasing much-needed detention capacity and working with our federal partners to streamline deportations, removing thousands of the most dangerous criminal aliens from our country,” DeSantis said at an event alongside White House Border Czar Tom Homan in Ochopee. “Alligator Alcatraz has fulfilled this mission.”
Detainees still awaiting deportation have been transferred to other federal facilities, and demobilization efforts are underway, DeSantis said. The facility, located in the remote Everglades community, began accepting detainees in July 2025 after being constructed and fully operational in just eight days — the first state-supported federal detention facility in the nation established specifically to support President Trump’s deportation operations.
The facility’s launch instantly relieved pressure on federal detention capacity, allowing more ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations personnel to focus on enforcement rather than logistics, according to the governor’s office. Florida was also one of the first states requested to enter into an agreement with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to execute immigration enforcement functions, and the state now holds more 287(g) federal enforcement deputizations than any other state in the nation.
“We will continue the mission to make our communities safer by deporting illegal aliens and ensuring that our nation’s immigration laws are enforced,” DeSantis said.
The governor’s office framed the operation as a direct response to what it called the Biden border crisis, saying Florida set the standard for states in protecting citizens from the harmful effects of illegal immigration. The state has positioned itself as a model for other states seeking to assist the Trump administration in apprehending, detaining and deporting illegal aliens.
With demobilization underway, remaining detainees are being processed through other federal facilities. The governor’s office said Florida remains committed to leading the nation in immigration enforcement and supporting President Trump’s mission to secure the border.