THE EVERGLADES, FLA. (WSVN) - The New York Times has reported that Florida plans to shut down the high profile immigration center in the Everglades known as ‘Alligator Alcatraz‘.
The article reports that the Department of Homeland Security deemed that the state-run immigration facility is too expensive, and that some private vendors have struggled to front costs.
The vendors have said that the detention center is planned to shut down in the coming weeks.
Vendors were also told that the detainees in the center would be moved from the facility by the start of June, and that the center would be broken down in the following weeks.
However, it is unclear where the detainees will go afterward.
Concerns have been previously raised over the conditions on the center, with allegations of inhumane conditions and environmental damage.
“We are encouraged that the state and federal government are finally moving out so that harm to the Everglades can stop, but we’re not taking our foot off the gas in court until we see that happen.” said Eve Samples from Friends of the Everglades.
The state is yet to receive over $600,000 in reimbursement it requested to keep the center operating.
Last week, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had said that the center was a temporary solution, and not a permanent center.
“We’re getting- they’ve approved $608 million for what we’ve sent. There’s negotiation of that, but when we’ve submitted that, that’s something that was, obviously we knew we were [going to] get approved for that, and we have been approved for it,” said Desantis.
Other issues include how the center would handle hurricane conditions and consider the safety of the detainees inside the facility.
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