Ron DeSantis spent $1.2m per day to open and operate ‘Alligator Alcatraz’

<p>After spending taxpayers’ money, Florida governor will likely be left holding bill for $608m promised by Trump administration</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/2026/feb/17/sign-up-for-the-breaking-news-us-email-to-get-newsletter-alerts-direct-to-your-inbox?utm_medium=ACQUISITIONS_STANDFIRST&amp;utm_campaign=BN22326&amp;utm_content=signup&amp;utm_term=standfirst&amp;utm_source=GUARDIAN_WEB">Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox</a></p></li></ul><p>Ron DeSantis, Florida’s Republican governor, spent $1.2m of taxpayers’ money per day to open and operate the notorious immigration jail known as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/04/alligator-alcatraz-human-right-violations-amnesty-report">Alligator Alcatraz</a>, court records obtained by the independent investigative news website the <a href="https://floridatrib.org/2026/03/01/new-records-show-florida-officials-burned-more-than-1-2-million-per-day-on-alligator-alcatraz/">Florida Tributary</a> reveal.</p><p>A switch in position by Donald Trump’s administration also now looks likely to leave Florida on the hook for at least $608m spent on the harsh Everglades detention and deportation facility and other immigration jails, <a href="https://floridatrib.org/2026/02/06/desantis-spent-573-million-on-immigration-the-feds-may-never-pay-florida-back/">the outlet said</a>. That was despite <a href="https://x.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1973863499274371455">gloating by DeSantis</a> in September that the state would be reimbursed from federal funds.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/02/ron-desantis-12-million-on-alligator-alcatraz">Continue reading...</a>

Read the full article at: The Guardian World →