FEMA Withholds $608 Million From Florida’s Everglades Detention Sites Pending Environmental Review

Court-ordered disclosures depict a state-built program that expected federal repayment despite public denials.

Overview

Internal emails show Florida’s emergency management agency and FEMA co-drafted the $608.4 million Detention Support Grant beginning in June 2025.
Florida formally applied on Aug. 7, 2025, seeking $608.4 million after projecting up to $1.7 billion in detention costs through mid‑2027.
FEMA repeatedly warned that no funds would be released before an Environmental and Historic Preservation review was finished, denying a $30 million request on Dec. 10.
Records report $390.2 million spent on the Everglades site in its first four months of operation, with a daily burn that topped $1.2 million for 500 detainees.
Grant documents now bar reimbursement for construction and site modifications, further narrowing what Florida could recoup once the review is complete.