Dave Elias
•7/1/2026
Florida taxpayers have spent $1.2 billion to build and operate a temporary detention facility known as Alligator Alcatraz, with only 5% of the money reimbursed by the federal government, according to a Gulf Coast News investigation.
Estimates show the facility detained 21,000 people, with each person staying an average of 16 days. This amounts to 336,000 stays, costing $3,571 per detainee per day.
"Do you earn that much in a day?" one taxpayer asked. "No, far from it," they said, laughing.
The cost to keep a detainee for just over two weeks totaled $57,000, a figure that surprised many taxpayers.
"They don't even make that much a year," said Radhames Damaso of Lehigh Acres. "It's crazy."
Adding to the surprise, Homeland Security data show that Immigration and Customs Enforcement typically pays jails or prisons $165 per detainee per day.
"No way! That's insane," Damaso said. "I think we should definitely put our money in better places."
Some taxpayers questioned the decision to build the facility in the first place.
"No, I don't even think it was worth making in the first place. But that's just my opinion," said Kevin Alvarado of North Port.
Gov. Ron DeSantis defended the spending, saying, "Having this has led to almost 21,000 deportations. Those are people who, by and large, would have been released back into society."
The facility was constructed in just 10 days, with no infrastructure. Water and sewage were hauled in and out daily, and the site relied on generators. Fences, trailers, medical staff, and food added to the hundreds of millions spent.
"Based on the data we have, we can make a pretty fair estimate that this has cost the people of Florida, taxpayers, more than a billion dollars," said Anna Eskamani, a Democratic representative for District 47.
DeSantis expressed confidence that the Trump administration would reimburse the state.
"We will get it. I was there with Tom and the president, and the president said, 'Get Florida their money.' Tom is going to make sure," he said.
However, Eskamani noted, "There are still a lot of unanswered questions that need to be addressed," including the cost of dismantling the facility.
Florida taxpayers are still waiting for those figures.
