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'Alligator Alcatraz' completely dismantled 1 month after closure announcement

Aerial footage provided by WPLG showed the site, which had held undocumented immigrants in the Everglades for about a year, now sits empty

WPLG

Aerial footage of where Alligator Alcatraz once was in the Everglades July 15, 2026.

By: Samantha Roesler

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and last updated

OCHOPEE, Fla. — 'Alligator Alcatraz' has been completely dismantled this week after Governor Ron DeSantis announced last month that the facility would be shut down.

Aerial footage provided by WPLG showed the site, which had held undocumented immigrants in the Everglades for about a year, now sits empty.

WPTV Investigates

How Alligator Alcatraz opened, closed, left questions unanswered

Jamie Ostroff

News broke in May that Alligator Alcatraz would soon close. U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost visited the facility on May 26 and told WPTV he saw clear signs that operations were winding down, including packed-up intake areas and a significantly smaller detainee population. The facility had detained roughly 1,500 people at a time during its peak.

DeSantis said 21,000 detainees were deported through Alligator Alcatraz.

On June 16, ICE confirmed that all detainees had been removed in preparation for hurricane season.

Environmental groups are preparing to continue their federal lawsuit, arguing the state and federal governments still need to account for what was built, what damage was done and how the site will be restored.

Read more of WPTV's coverage below:

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