Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava statement on the closure of “Alligator Alcatraz” detention center

Today’s announcement that the “Alligator Alcatraz” detention center is closing is long overdue:  

This facility should never have been built. For nearly a year, people, including some of our own residents, have been held there without meaningful due process on County-owned land within the Everglades ecosystem. From the very beginning, I opposed its use and consistently called for accountability, transparency, and the humane treatment of detainees. 

Now that this facility is closing, we have an opportunity to permanently protect these County-owned lands for Everglades restoration and ensure they remain protected for generations to come. Earlier today, I announced the Administration’s intent to pursue the sale and transfer of these lands to the National Park Service and other authorized Everglades restoration partners following the facility’s decommissioning. These lands should never again be used for detention or other intensive development. They should be permanently preserved as part of one of the nation’s most important environmental restoration efforts.  

Immigrants helped build Miami-Dade County, and our community has always believed that public safety, the rule of law, and respect for human dignity can go hand in hand. As we move forward, let us reaffirm those values while protecting the Everglades for future generations.