TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — DHS is denying reports that the federal government seeks to close “Alligator Alcatraz,” the contentious migrant detention center in the Everglades.
“Any reports that DHS is pressuring the state to cease operations at Alligator Alcatraz are false,” the agency said in a statement Thursday.
The statement follows reports indicating that federal officials are contemplating reducing or terminating operations at the facility due to increasing scrutiny over expenses, environmental issues, and ongoing legal disputes.
DHS also addressed questions surrounding federal reimbursement funding tied to the site, saying the agency is still reviewing Florida’s requests before any money is released.
“DHS reviews reimbursement requests for grant funding to ensure costs are allowable and validated expenses that are eligible for reimbursement prior to releasing funding,” the statement said.
The Everglades detention center, known as Alligator Alcatraz by critics and supporters alike, has remained a flashpoint in the national immigration debate since opening last year.
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