Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration in Tallahassee, Florida has signed contracts totaling at least $245 million to establish and operate a new immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades known as “Alligator Alcatraz.” The funding, to be provided by Florida taxpayers, aligns with the estimated annual cost of $450 million for the facility. This significant allocation underscores the financial commitment of DeSantis’ Republican administration in supporting President Donald Trump’s aggressive deportation policies.
Criticism from human rights advocates, faith leaders, and environmentalists, as well as former Immigration and Customs Enforcement official Mark Morgan, has been directed at the detention center. Morgan, in an opinion piece on Fox News, described the facility as a publicity stunt prone to failure, mismanagement, and corruption.
Key figures regarding the project include:
– Over $245 million already designated
– The Executive Office of the Governor has awarded more than $245 million in taxpayer funds through at least two dozen contracts for the construction and operation of the facility.
– The location of the detention center shifted rapidly from a county-owned airstrip in the Everglades, situated approximately 45 miles west of Miami.
– These contracts were initiated under an executive order declaring an illegal immigration emergency in 2023, granting the state broad powers to expedite the project without competitive bidding.
While some costs are expected to be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), recent court filings revealed that Florida has yet to receive federal funding. Notable contracts include $78.5 million awarded to Critical Response Strategies for essential staffing, with additional significant agreements for site preparation, IT services, and ongoing maintenance.
Specifics of the largest contracts:
– Critical Response Strategies: $78.5 million for hiring staff, including a warden and corrections officers
– Longview Solutions Group: $25.6 million for site development
– Doodie Calls: $22 million for portable sanitation facilities
– Gothams: $21.1 million for IT services and detainee identification
– SLSCO LTD and Garner Environmental Services: $19.7 million each for construction and maintenance
The warden contracted by Critical Response Strategies is set to be paid $125 per hour, potentially accumulating over $400,000 in overtime pay. The duration of their employment remains uncertain.
According to a job posting on LinkedIn, officers working at the facility have the potential to earn up to $11,600 per month, including overtime. In Florida, the starting pay for rank-and-file corrections officers is $22 per hour, which amounts to roughly $3,800 per month in the state’s brick-and-mortar prisons. These facilities have faced chronic understaffing issues, prompting Governor DeSantis to deploy members of the Florida National Guard for over two years.
As concerns were raised by journalists and watchdogs regarding the contracts and companies involved, detailed documents outlining deliverables and spending specifics have mysteriously disappeared from the state’s website. Instead, they have been replaced with brief one-page invoices that provide limited information such as company names, charges, signing dates, and billing addresses.
Some of the multimillion dollar contracts were granted to political donors who have supported campaigns for DeSantis and other Republicans. When asked about these contracts, the governor’s office deferred inquiries to the Florida Division of Emergency Management, the agency responsible for constructing the detention center. Spokesperson Stephanie Hartman stated that the contracts were removed due to containing “proprietary information that should not have been made public.”
The department did not address inquiries regarding the potential release of the full contracts. This article was written by Kate Payne, a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit program that places journalists in local newsrooms to cover underreported issues.
