Investigation Exposes DeSantis’ Claim That All Detainees at ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Had Deportation Orders

Florida’s new immigration detention facility in the Everglades, nicknamed Alligator Alcatraz, did not house only people with final deportation orders — contradicting repeated statements by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The revelation matters as it challenges key public claims underpinning the facility’s justification and spurs legal and political debate.

DeSantis and state officials have repeatedly said everyone held there had a final order of removal, suggesting they were all confirmed for deportation. But newly released ICE data analyzed by NBC6 Investigates shows only about 31% of the more than 6,700 detained at the center had final orders on the day DeSantis made his claim in July.

That means nearly 70% of detainees lacked such orders, and large numbers were still in various stages of immigration processing — some with pending cases. ICE records were released in response to a Freedom of Information lawsuit and examined by NBC6.

The governor’s office declined to comment on why DeSantis made the statement.

In related legal developments, attorneys for the U.S. Department of Justice have acknowledged in court filings that some detainees likely have never been in removal proceedings at all, directly contradicting the governor’s assertions and raising questions about detainees’ legal status.

“The proposed class includes all detainees … including those who have never been in removal proceedings,” DOJ lawyers wrote in a filing.

The discrepancy matters because it highlights how the facility’s population may differ significantly from public characterizations, affecting legal challenges over due process and conditions.

Legal groups are pushing cases over detainee rights and access to attorneys, and federal courts are weighing injunctions and procedural compliance. What happens next likely involves continued litigation and federal oversight of detainee treatment and classification.

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