Overview

• Justice Department attorneys told a federal court that detainees at the Everglades site likely include people who have never been in removal proceedings, contradicting Gov. Ron DeSantis’s statements that all had final orders.
• Federal officials confirmed Florida was approved for $608 million through a DHS program to cover construction and operations at the detention complex built this summer.
• Approval does not equate to immediate payment because FEMA must validate the state’s submitted costs under the grant process.
• The facility opened July 1 with capacity for up to 3,000 people and remains the subject of lawsuits over environmental review and access to counsel, with an appellate stay allowing operations to continue after an August wind‑down order.
• ICE separately announced $38 million for Florida state and local law enforcement equipment and transportation tied to detaining non‑citizens, according to public statements cited in recent coverage.