Before federal shutdown, Homeland Security Department gave Florida $608M for Alligator Alcatraz

A day before the federal government shut down, President Donald Trump’s administration sent $608 million to Florida to cover costs for Alligator Alcatraz.

An official at the Homeland Security Department told WLRN that the agency approved the nine-figure grant Tuesday, one day before most of the federal government was shut down.

The money comes through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and will be used for the controversial migrant detention center operating now in the Everglades.

Gov. Ron DeSantis a week ago predicted the federal money would come amid ongoing negotiations between federal leaders.

“I saw Tom Homan the other day, and he’s just like ‘send us your reimbursements. You know, we got a lot of money now. We want to help you guys.’ So that’ll happen,” DeSantis said.

Upon news the check was awarded, DeSantis on social media boasted, “We were right; media was wrong.”

Further grant requests will not be processed by FEMA as long as a federal shutdown persists. Of note, many FEMA employees have been deemed essential if paid from the Disaster Relief Fund, though service may be at reduced levels.

The state has estimated Alligator Alcatraz will cost $245 a bed to operate. The facility opened with a capacity of 3,000, with room to expand to 5,000.

But ultimately, the state requested $608 million in reimbursement costs to establish and then operate the temporary migrant center, which is operating on the previously unused Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport. It opened on July 1.

Notably, the check coming far exceeds the projected annual operations for Alligator Alcatraz of $450 million a year. The state has since also opened a second migrant center, dubbed Deportation Depot, so some of the federal money awarded to Florida may go to that operation.

Congress earlier this year budgeted portions of FEMA disaster funding to support housing efforts for migrants detained as part of a crackdown on illegal immigration, as reported by CNN. That money will come out of funds dedicated for emergency housing and shelter, normally used by victims displaced by natural disasters.