A few days after President Donald Trump and the administration’s chief executive toured Crocodile Alcatraz and approved the call to the immigration detention center, the federal government says it has nothing to do with the state-run facility deep in the Everglades.
“The Department of Homeland Security has not implemented, approved, directed or funded the Florida temporary detention center,” the agency wrote in court records filed Thursday.
Wannial Catraz is a project run by Florida. The state and its contractors were tasked with building the facility. However, court documents sang a very different song than DHS secretary Kristi Noem, who can be used for refunds for over $600 million to be made available through the Florida Federal Emergency Management Agency. On the site on Tuesday’s first day, Noem believed her agency had approached Florida to work with the site.
“My advisor… called the Attorney General and the Governor and said, ‘Hey, what do you think about partnering with us in detention facilities?”,” Noem said. “This facility is something that we want all governors of this country to consider doing with us.”
In another submission, the top immigration and customs enforcement officials — the DHS agency tasked with arresting and deporting immigrants — states that ICE’s role is limited to ensuring compliance with detention standards.
“Florida is responsible for funding and building the facility,” writes Thomas Giles, assistant director of Icefield Operations.
Court filings issued as responses to lawsuits accusing the government of avoiding federal environmental laws in building facilities appear to hold some distance between the federal government and the new facility.
Paul Schwiep of Coffey Burlington said the lawyer leading the lawsuit against the administration saw the move coming.
“The defendant suggested that this was a completely state project and therefore expected (federal environmental law) not to apply,” he said at a press conference shortly after the facility’s formal opening on Tuesday. “This has to be a federal project. Today, both the president and governor said this was done with federal support.”
The court’s application, following the White House and DHS, gave the facility a great publicity, including images generated by the AI-generated anigator dressing ice staff at the facility, photos and videos of Trump and Noem at the facility, and a statement on how the facility provides much-needed bed space for DHS.
“Wannial Catraz, and other such facilities, provide the ability to lock in some of the worst scum bags that have entered our country under the previous administration. Thanks to our partnership with Florida, we will expand our facilities and bed space in a few days.
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The court argues that it will significantly reduce the role of the federal government in the construction or operation of Wannial Catraz. In these documents, Giles also said the DHS has not paid for the detention centre and has not chosen which detainees are being held there.
“The ultimate decision on who will be detained at the TNT detention facility belongs to Florida,” he wrote. “ICE has not purchased or procured detention space from Florida for illegal alien detention at TNT detention facilities.”
The facility will be filled with detainees scooped up by Florida officials under a number of 287(g) agreements concluded with statewide ice by various police. These agreements allow trained police officers to detain and arrest those accused of breaking immigration rules.
Wannial Catraz money is expected to come from FEMA, but the agency has not fired the dime yet.
FEMA’s representative David Richardson also told the court that there are federal funds available to cover the costs allocated to Florida, particularly the state has yet to demand them.
FEMA has $600 million available in its Detention Support Grant Program, which allows it to head to facilities in Florida, and once the fund is ready, the state will apply for grants from that fund to win.
“The cost of building a new permanent building is not allowed,” Richardson said.
DHS previously told the Miami Herald that the initial construction of tents and other temporary facilities would continue with more permanent structures.
