COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — We are getting our first glimpse into evacuation plans for Florida’s newest and, perhaps,most infamous migrant detention facility state officials dub “Alligator Alcatraz.”
The 33 page “draft” report is titled “South Florida Detention Facility Continuity of Operations Plan” but most of the details are blacked out.
In fact, the state’s disaster response plan is so heavily redacted, it offers little insight into how, when, and where potentially thousands of people, who can be held at the facility at any given time, would be evacuated to in the event of a disaster, including a hurricane.
WATCH INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER KATIE LAGRONE'S REPORT ON THE EVACUATION PLAN:
The state is keeping these details secret by using an exemption in Florida public records law that allows “tactical operations in responding to emergencies” to be kept from public disclosure.
The report was released as questions continue mount over the safety, security and legality of this new migrant facility tucked away in the Florida everglades.
READ THE REPORT BELOW:
It also comes, nearly one month after we first requested a copy of all operational reports for the recently opened facility, including its hurricane plan.
At the time, we also requested copies of contracts with all vendors providing services to the new detention facility. (Records of those contracts don’t exist, according to FL’s Department of Emergency Management, despite some of those details already being reported by other outlets.)
After nearly one month of silence, Stephanie Hartman, Deputy Director of Communications for Florida’s Department of Emergency Management, finally responded to our request for the plan earlier this week by stating in an email that “there are no records responsive to this request.”
The next day, Governor Ron DeSantis’ X account had reposted the same disaster plan if eventually released after it was first posted on a page operated by a conservative media group.
In the Governor’s repost, he also called out “legacy media” for “concocting a false narrative” when other media organizations had previously reported that the state had no formal disaster plan in place for the new detention center.
In response to why the state first told Investigative Reporter Katie LaGrone that there are no records of the plan but then provided her a copy of a redacted disaster plan oneday later, Hartman responded via email, “the parameters of your request were met with an accurate response. Nonetheless, I was glad to provide you with a copy of the South Florida Detention Facility Continuity of Operations Plan for your reporting.”
The state is currently fronting the estimated $450 million per year detention facility. But the Governor has said he expects reimbursements from the federal government.
