A top Florida official says the controversial state-run immigration detention facility in the Everglades is likely to be empty in a matter of days, even as Republican Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration and the federal government fight a judge’s order to close the facility dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” by late October. That is according to an email exchange shared with The Associated Press.
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In a message sent to South Florida Rabbi Mario Rojzman on August 22 related to providing chaplaincy services at the facility, Florida Division of Emergency Management Executive Director Kevin Guthrie said “we are probably going to be down to 0 individuals within a few days”. Rojzman, and the executive assistant who sent the original email to Guthrie, both confirmed the veracity of the messages to AP on Wednesday.
A spokesperson for Guthrie, whose agency has overseen the construction and operation of the site, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The facility was rapidly constructed two months ago with the goal of holding up to 3,000 detainees as part of President Donald Trump’s push to deport people who are in the US illegally.
At one point, it held almost 1,000 detainees, but Democratic US congressman Maxwell Frost said that he was told during a tour last week that only 300 to 350 detainees remained.
Three lawsuits challenging practices at the detention centre have been filed, including one that estimated at least 100 detainees who had been at the facility have been deported. Others have been transferred to other immigration detention centres.