Officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have stated that Florida, rather than the federal government, oversees the daily operations of a controversial detention facility. Established under an executive order from Governor Ron DeSantis, the facility’s operational costs are, however, funded by the federal government.
In January, the DHS’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) carried out an unannounced inspection at this facility, which has gained notoriety as one of the most infamous immigration detention centres in the United States. The current inspector general was appointed by former President Donald Trump during his first term.
Built in the Everglades— a protected wetland known for its alligators— the detention facility was erected in just eight days in 2025. Trump once remarked, rather controversially, that immigrants detained there would need to learn how to “run away” from the local reptiles, a sentiment condemned by civil rights advocates as inhumane.
In June 2026, Governor DeSantis announced that the facility would close, as it was intended to be temporary.
According to the OIG’s report, between July 2025 and January 2026, the facility held 79 immigrants in small metal enclosures, referred to as “calming areas” intended for individuals to “de-escalate and have time alone.” Detainees were kept in these spaces for periods ranging from a few minutes to nearly two hours, with at least one instance used as a punishment.
The report concluded that the use of such restrictive spaces is highly unconventional and does not meet humane treatment standards.
