Florida denies ‘uprising’ reports at immigration detention center

(NewsNation) — State officials have dismissed reports of an “uprising” at a controversial immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades, calling them “manufactured.”

In a statement to The Guardian, officials insisted detainees at the facility dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” were kept in “clean, safe conditions” and that guards were “properly trained.”

Detainees had alleged tear gas and violence were used to break up a recent disturbance inside the center, with some stating ” a lot of people have bled.”

The Miami-based, Spanish-language station Noticias 23 reported the incident occurred as authorities worked to vacate the facility.

State officials, however, have maintained that no such incident took place.

Citing environmental concerns, judge orders shutdown 

The detention center is in the process of shutting down following a federal judge’s order to close it over environmental concerns.

The White House has vowed to fight the ruling, seen as a setback to the Trump administration’s deportation agenda.

“We think it’s despicable that an activist judge has inserted themselves in this migrant detention facility,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday. “DHS is now having to relocate these illegal immigrants to other detention facilities around the country. That is an unnecessary burden on the Department of Homeland Security and these agents who should be removing these criminals from our community.”

Facility’s closure could cost Florida $218M 

At its peak, the facility held about 1,000 detainees.

Kevin Guthrie, executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, told the Associated Press last month that it could be emptied within days, with one lawsuit estimating at least 100 people have been deported from the site.

Closing the center is expected to cost the state approximately $218 million.