New Facts: ICE transfers detainees from Alligator Alcatraz

Immigration authorities transferred everyone out of the Everglades detention camp known as Alligator Alcatraz, citing the start of hurricane season. No totals or destinations were made public. The camp opened last July during hurricane season after officials said it was built to withstand storms.

Whether the site was actually empty that day was in dispute. Gov. Ron DeSantis said he had been briefed it was not empty as of the day before, though he expected it could be soon. After the transfer announcement, buses, fuel trucks, vendors, and employee cars continued to enter the gates.

The facility had drawn complaints of filthy conditions and limited access to lawyers, and it faced lawsuits over its location in the Everglades. The transfer moves detainees out of a camp officials had promoted as storm‑ready and isolated. It remained unclear whether the shutdown is temporary or permanent.

AI-synthesized from multiple reported sources