Five contractors hired to build and operate Alligator Alcatraz have links to allegations of improper business practices and misuse of public funds. One firm allegedly allowed armed Mexican nationals without legal immigration status to be brought into the United States by a subcontractor to provide security for border-wall construction under a federal contract. Another agreed to a multimillion-dollar settlement over allegations it sold products made in prohibited countries like China to the U.S. federal government. A third shares top executives with firms accused by former employees of filing inflated hurricane insurance claims. All contracts were awarded under a 2023 emergency order granting broad suspension of regulations and expedited contracting powers.
One of the firms allegedly allowed armed Mexican nationals with no legal immigration status to be brought into the United States by a subcontractor to provide security for its work in building a border wall as part of a federal contract. Another recently agreed to a multimillion-dollar settlement addressing allegations that it had sold to the U.S. federal government products made in prohibited countries like China. A third shares top executives with two businesses that were accused by ex-employees of filing inflated hurricane insurance claims in federally-declared disaster areas.
The findings raise questions about the DeSantis administration's vetting of the companies that received Alligator Alcatraz contracts, all of which were granted under the terms of an emergency order Gov. Ron DeSantis first issued in 2023, declaring an illegal immigration emergency. The order grants the state executive sweeping powers to suspend any regulation or rule that may slow down response to an emergency, including the process of awarding contracts.
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