The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has launched a new Detention Support Grant Program offering $608 million to state and local governments to construct temporary immigrant detention facilities.
FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) is the lead federal agency responsible for helping people in the United States prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural and man-made disasters.
The $608 million allocation comes from FEMA’s existing $650 million Shelter and Services Program, which was originally established under the Biden administration to help state and local governments provide shelter and support services to migrants released by the Department of Homeland Security. However, the Trump administration has repurposed this funding stream to support detention facilities rather than shelter services.
The Detention Support Grant Program allows non-federal entities to apply for funding to build facilities that will shelter immigrants in a detention environment until their transfer to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Applications are due by August 8 with the award approval process running from July 9 through September 30.
The program provides a 26-month period of performance for all approved projects, with funding distributed as lump sum payments. FEMA will collaborate with U.S. Customs and Border Protection in distributing the funds.
“Secretary Noem has been very clear that the funding for Alligator Alcatraz can be a blueprint for other states and local governments to assist with detention,” a FEMA spokesperson said.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has positioned his state as a leader in this initiative, announcing that Florida will seek FEMA reimbursement for its controversial detention facility dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz”. Built in just eight days on remote Everglades land at the Dade-Collier Airport, the facility can hold up to 3,000 migrants and is surrounded by fencing, swamp, and natural barriers.
The facility has faced significant criticism for its conditions and location. Department of Homeland Security officials estimate that operating “Alligator Alcatraz” costs approximately $450 million annually.
Conditions at “Alligator Alcatraz” where detainees are held without due process, are reported as dire.
Multiple accounts describe lack of access to showers, sometimes going days without bathing or running water. Toilets are reported to frequently back up or overflow, with portable restrooms and sewage collection unable to keep pace, leading to unsanitary floors flooded with human waste.
Detainees report sleeping on cold concrete or foil sheets without proper bedding or blankets, due to lack of sufficient provisions and overcrowding. Cage-like quarters are described, illuminated with bright fluorescent lights kept on all night.
Numerous complaints cite insufficient, low-quality, or “substandard” food, with reports of hunger and even worms or maggots found in meals. Many detainees report unreliable access to medications, inadequate medical care, and the spread of illnesses.
Detainees allege harsh punishments by guards, including being shackled in the sun for hours with no water (“the box”), in response to disciplinary incidents, complaints, or even medical emergencies. Access to lawyers is severely restricted; legal calls are sometimes only permitted on recorded lines.
Access to the facility for media and lawmakers has been limited.
