COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — Tractor trailers going in and out has become a common scene at the rural Everglades detention center dubbed ‘Alligator Alcatraz.’
This time, they are signs the embattled center is shutting down operations.
“The question is, is there ever a good place to put a detention facility,” asked Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart during an appearance on “This Week in South Florida” Sunday morning.
Sky 10 was above the facility earlier this week as white vans were spotted hauling off detainees after a federal judge ordered the facility to wind down operations within 60 days.
“The courts have spoken and therefore you should follow what the courts have ruled,” said Diaz-Balart. “While the president and administration is being as aggressive as possible, I applaud their efforts and disagree with others.”
An aggressive approach that was stopped following environmental concerns and a handful of lawsuits, including an ACLU lawsuit arguing the state violated detainees’ first amendment rights, limiting access to attorneys.
“If there’s no facility, then there’s no need to have access too,” said legal analyst David Weinstein. “That might moot out a few other pending lawsuits as well.”
Fences at the facility are expected to be taken down, lights will be shut off and tents removed, as officials have been ordered to return the site to the existing airstrip.
“Whether one agrees or disagrees with this facility, it was done really quickly. It was done responsibly,” said Diaz-Balart.
The congressman went on to say that he does not criticize Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, saying the governor took quick action due to a national need.
“It’s a detention facility,” said Diaz-Balart. “It’s an essence a minimum-security prison and the standards are so much better than they were, for example, during the Obama administration.”
The facility, built in eight days and requiring a thousand staffers and three thousand beds, rang up a tab of over $200 million.
Several lawsuits have been filed against the facility, though it’s unclear how those will play out with the closure ruling.
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