TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - The administration of Governor Ron DeSantis has signed contracts worth at least $245 million to establish and operate the new immigration detention center located in the Florida Everglades, referred to as "Alligator Alcatraz." This information comes from a public database detailing state expenditures.
The substantial funding commitment aligns with estimates indicating the facility's total operational cost will be around $450 million annually. This situation highlights the significant taxpayer-funded investments made by DeSantis' Republican administration in support of former President Donald Trump's immigration policies emphasizing mass deportations.
The detention center has faced backlash from human rights advocates, environmentalists, and faith leaders, including former acting ICE Director Mark Morgan. In a Fox News opinion piece, Morgan denounced the facility as "built for headlines" and warned of potential "failure, mismanagement, and corruption."
Since the announcement of the facility on June 19, Florida officials have awarded over two dozen contracts totaling more than $245 million in taxpayer funds to construct and manage the site. The location, initially a county-owned airstrip surrounded by swampland, is approximately 45 miles (72 kilometers) from downtown Miami.
All contracts were authorized under an executive order declaring an illegal immigration emergency, which grants the state the ability to suspend regulations, including competitive bidding for public contracts. State officials have indicated that part of the costs may be offset by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); however, recent court documents reveal that the federal government has not yet reimbursed Florida for any expenses related to the facility. The Department of Homeland Security clarified that the facility is being constructed and operated with state funds under state emergency authority.
The largest single contract awarded, amounting to $78.5 million, was given to Critical Response Strategies, a consulting firm based in Jacksonville. This contract covers hiring key personnel, including a warden, camp managers, corrections officers, and IT workers. Other significant contracts include a $25.6 million deal with Longview Solutions Group for site preparation and civil engineering, and a $22 million contract awarded to Doodie Calls for providing portable toilets and shower trailers.
Gothams secured a $21.1 million contract for IT services, while SLSCO LTD and Garner Environmental Services received contracts worth $19.7 million each for site development and maintenance.
According to job postings, corrections officers at the facility can earn as much as $11,600 a month, plus overtime. This salary far exceeds the starting pay for rank-and-file corrections officers in Florida's traditional prisons, who earn approximately $3,800 monthly. The understaffing issue in these prisons led DeSantis to deploy Florida National Guard members to assist for over two years.
As journalists and watchdog organizations demand transparency regarding the contracts, it has been noted that essential documents detailing project specifications have been removed from the state's website. They have been replaced by simplified invoices listing companies, charges, dates of agreements, and billing addresses. Notably, some multimillion-dollar contracts were awarded to companies affiliated with political donors supporting DeSantis and other Republican candidates.
When questions arose concerning the contracts, the governor’s office referred inquiries to the Florida Division of Emergency Management. A spokesperson stated that documents were removed due to containing "proprietary information" but did not clarify whether the complete contracts would be made available to the public.