New Facts: DeSantis admits funding may not arrive

Florida’s bid to recoup $608 million for Alligator Alcatraz is in doubt. In a court filing, Attorney General James Uthmeier said the state took the risk that federal money might not materialize. A Justice Department filing said any reimbursement would be limited to per‑detainee operating costs, not the facility’s design, siting, maintenance, or construction.

FEMA has held most of the award until a federal environmental review of the Everglades site is finished, and in December it denied a $30 million draw while the review remained open. Florida has received only about $90 million so far, and guidance to the state says costs to modify the “South Florida Soft Sided Facility” will not be reimbursed.

Florida first asked for nearly $1.5 billion, then cut the request to about $1 billion and finally to $608 million after construction costs were ruled out. The state began building on the Dade-Collier jetport before seeking permission or applying for grants. By early October it had spent about $400 million, and it is now carrying most of the bill while it waits for a review that could leave it with no reimbursement at all.

AI-synthesized from multiple reported sources