ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Florida taxpayers could be on the hook for $218 million the state spent to convert a remote training airport in the Everglades into an immigration detention center dubbed “ Alligator Alcatraz.”
The center may soon be completely empty as a judge upheld her decision late Wednesday ordering operations to wind down indefinitely.
Shutting down the facility for the time being would cost the state $15 million to $20 million immediately, and it would cost another $15 million to $20 million to reinstall structures if Florida is allowed to reopen it, according to court filings by the state.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management will lose most of the value of the $218 million it has invested in making the little-used airport suitable for a detention center, a state official said in court papers.
Built in just a few days, the facility consists of chain-link cages surrounding large white tents filled with rows of bunk beds. As of late July, state officials had already signed more than $245 million in contracts for building and operating the facility, which officially opened July 1.
President Donald Trump toured the facility last month and suggested it could be a model for future lockups nationwide as his administration races to expand the infrastructure needed to increase deportations.
The center has been plagued by reports of unsanitary conditions and detainees being cut off from the legal system.
If they follow the order.
It’s exactly that. They’re going to ignore court orders sooner or later.
Donald will just use a pos EO saying to leave it open, and people will think EO’s are laws.
*Aligator Auschwitz. FTFW.
I feel sorry for those floridians who didn’t vote for this.
But hey, Trump and his buddies just made 218 million.
Oh man, your taxpayer money was wasted on a concentration camp.
It’s almost like you could have voted against this somehow…
I did.
You have to convince your brain dead cronies who didn’t though
Ever tried convincing someone that roots for Manchester United to instead root for Liverpool?
They t be neighbors, but they aren’t cronies.
State may lose its $69 Trillion “investment” if it shuts down its orphan-crushing machine
Quite the headline you’ve got there.
The taxpayers are on the hook for this dumbass bullshit anyway, may as well skip the crimes against humanity.
I’m with you, as Florida resident im so pissed I have to pay for this, but am very glad its not actually going to be operating anymore.
State of morons. They deserve it.
Great now do Cop City.
Honestly though, what could possibly cost so much when you’re building tents with chain-link fence inside? Did they spend it all on guns or did it just get laundered to politicians and their subcontractor friends?
What costs so much are the kickbacks and bribes. Trump is expanding an existing ballroom in the White House at a cost of $200 million right now too.
Picking up right where Epstein left off with the paint-everything-gold schmoozing
I think you know the answer
Do you really have to ask?
Great job Miccosukee Tribe.
Hell yeah
When have conservatives actually cared about losing money?
When they can blame it on a Democrat leader
Bingo
Are they winning yet?
The party of “fiscal responsibility”, everyone!
Remind me how a bunch of tents cost over $200 million?
They probably renting them, since it’s from Budget.
Budget Rent-a-Alcatraz
Republican politician to government contractor: “Here is your $100 million to complete the project.”
Government contractor to parts supplier: “We have a budget of $20 million, what can we get with that?”
Parts supplier to raw material producer: “We need to fill an order, the contractor gave us a budget of $1 million.”
Raw material producer to third-world wage slaves: “You can get by on $10/week, right? Could always be worse.”
Maybe DOGGO got involved - the Department Of Gross Government Overspending.
The memeification/cutesiness of the name of this center and others (Cornhusker Clink, Speedway Slammer) are blackpilling honestly.
Call them what they are. Concentration camps.
From wikipedia, emphasis mine:
A concentration camp is a prison or other facility used for the internment of political prisoners or politically targeted demographics, such as members of national or ethnic minority groups, on the grounds of national security, or for exploitation or punishment.
Didn’t you hear, Wikipedia is biased against Trump so it’s got to be dealt with!
in snow crash the the lobbies were also themed, but i guess disney hasnt purchased the geo group yet
But there’s no money for healthcare or feeding children.
