Florida’s immigration detention center, known as “Alligator Alcatraz,” will close by June, a vendor confirmed to NBC6 on Tuesday.
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This comes as The New York Times reported on Tuesday that vendors were notified that state and federal officials intend to close the state-run facility in the Everglades by June 1.
Gov. Ron DeSantis said the center has processed and deported 22,000 detainees since it opened last summer.
Last week, DeSantis said “Alligator Alcatraz” was always meant to be temporary as talks emerged of the facility’s closure.
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“At some point, we will, of course, break it down. That was always the goal,” the Republican governor said at a news conference on May 7 in Lakeland.
If the Department of Homeland Security feels it has the resources to house detainees elsewhere, the facility will wind down, DeSantis said at the time.
Florida has spent more than $1 million a day to run the facility, and DeSantis has said he expects reimbursement from the federal government. The state has not yet received $608 million it has requested.
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This story will be updated. Check back with NBC6.