Florida spent $34M on tech at ‘Alligator Alcatraz,’ but says phones for detainees too expensive

Florida officials are fighting a court order to expand detainee phone access at the so-called “Alligator Alcatraz” center, arguing it would be too costly for taxpayers — but they’ve already spent roughly $34 million in public dollars on technology, IT support, and more, state records show.

The agency in charge of the remote center, the Florida Division of Emergency Management (DEM), did not explain why the millions it has already spent in that silo doesn’t cover cell or landline service, why additional funding would be needed, or what those millions specifically funded, if not internet or carrier services.

The dispute arose after U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell in March ordered DEM to provide at least one phone for every 25 detainees so they can make confidential legal calls, after civil rights advocates alleged officials were limiting access to attorneys.

As of April 2, the facility had 1,383 detainees booked.

DEM denied all wrongdoing, and said detainees can speak to their attorneys through confidential Zoom calls or in person at the center.

They also claimed that complying would be prohibitively expensive.

Adding landlines or building cell towers would be “entirely unfeasible,” DEM argued Wednesday in court filings, pleading with the judge to pause her order. The only way they could add phones would be to spend $180K up front and another $6,000 weekly to mobilize and maintain cell connectivity at the center, which they say lacks traditional telephone infrastructure.

That would be for 77 cellphones, 77 security configurations, manual labor, and installation.

The agency did not respond to the Phoenix’s questions about how its existing $34.2 million in technology spending fits into those claims. Records from Florida’s government accountability website show the payments from the state’s emergency fund — dating to September — went to companies providing services for internet, communications, surveillance, IT support, and radio.

They did not explain specifically where that money went or provide line-items for the millions spent.

The lion’s share — $33 million — was paid to Gothams LLC. Public records previously reviewed by the Phoenix revealed that Gothams was hired to handle the following at “Alligator Alcatraz”:

• Internet supply and firewall.
• Access control system.
• Surveillance systems.
• Communications.
• Office technology.
• On-site IT support.
• Comprehensive support services for all technology installed within the facility.

The remaining $1.2 million went to seven other vendors, including nearly $500,000 for Baker’s Electronics and Communications, almost $400K for SkyBase Communications, and thousands more for SpaceX, Starlink, AT&T, Comcast, and Accu-Tech. 

The state’s case to pause the court order comes as Florida still awaits a $608 million reimbursement from the federal government for Alligator Alcatraz. DEM has said that these new phone costs likely won’t be covered by the feds — and therefore would be provided at the Florida taxpayer’s expense.

“The state of Florida has not received any federal funding for the Alligator Alcatraz facility, and the federal government has not obligated itself to reimburse the State Defendants for the costs of complying with the preliminary injunction,” DEM bureau chief Ian-Paul Gadea-Guidicelli wrote.

The case follows a legislative reckoning with DEM’s spending from Florida’s emergency fund. During the 2026 legislative session, the chambers battled over whether to add guardrails on what DEM could use the trust for.

DEM reported that it spent more than $573 million on immigration in three years — more than 70% of it in the six months after “Alligator Alcatraz” was constructed, including millions in legal fees and hundreds of thousands on private jet flights to and from the center and food products.

The Legislature created the emergency fund in 2022 to allow the governor to quickly spend money on disasters without legislative approval. When Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency on immigration the following year, it opened the dollars to a host of anti-illegal immigration initiatives.

He’s renewed the immigration state of emergency every 60 days since he first declared it in Jan. 2023.

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