The “Alligator Alcatraz” detention center for undocumented migrants in Florida, opened last year, will be permanently closed, CBS News reports.
According to the network, state authorities have notified contractors of the need to begin a full dismantling of the facility.
The last detainees left the center last week: they were either transferred to other facilities or deported to third countries. Officials explained the move on safety grounds at the start of hurricane season. Earlier, however, the facility had been expected to remain ready to receive new detainees.
The dismantling is expected to take about a week. After that, the site will reopen as a small airport for pilot training.
During its operation, about 22,000 people passed through “Alligator Alcatraz.”
Conditions at the center were repeatedly criticized by lawyers, detainees’ families and human rights organizations. They reported cases of improper treatment.
As CBS News writes, the final decision to close the center was linked primarily to the rising cost of maintaining it. The total cost of the facility, together with operating expenses, is estimated at $1.2 billion.
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