Florida plans to close the divisive federal migrant detention center nicknamed "Alligator Alcatraz," according to a Tuesday report in the New York Times. The article referenced a federal official and three sources close to the facility's operations.

Officials notified vendors on Tuesday afternoon that the center would shut down, with detainees scheduled for transfer by early June. The site, constructed at a cost of roughly $250 million, is set to be dismantled in the ensuing weeks, per the report's sources.

The office of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis offered no immediate comment on the matter.

Agency continues to evaluate needs, requirements

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, addressing the New York Times story, indicated that the agency is actively assessing its detention requirements to align with current operational standards.

"Reports suggesting DHS is compelling the state to end operations at Alligator Alcatraz are inaccurate," the spokesperson stated.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement data reveals an average of about 1,400 detainees held at the facility from October 1, 2025, through early April 2026. Advocacy groups have condemned conditions there, citing nonstop lighting, withheld medications, and the remote locale that complicates legal representation.

The detention center opened during the leadership of former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and lies 37 miles (60 km) west of Miami in a sprawling subtropical wetland inhabited by alligators, crocodiles, and pythons - a setting the White House invoked to emphasize its resolve on migrant removals.

U.S. President Donald Trump, with a residence in Florida, has consistently positioned tough immigration and border policies at the heart of his political strategy for over a decade.