A new report revealed that funds allocated for Florida's disaster preparedness and hurricane response were instead used to build the state's newest migrant detention center, dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz".
After reviewing more than a dozen contracts and invoices, TPM found that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis awarded nearly $20 million in no-bid contracts to seven private companies. These included $11.9 million to Meridian Rapid Defense Group for anti-vehicle barriers, a $5.9 million invoice from Lemoine CDR Logistics LLC, and $499,869.90 to Baker's Electronics & Communications for an emergency radio system, which was funded entirely by money diverted from the state's disaster preparedness program.
The contract with Baker's Electronics & Communications specified that the Atlas radio systems installed at the Everglades Detention Center were pulled from the state's disaster preparedness inventory. The document noted this reallocation created a gap in Florida's emergency communications infrastructure and warned that the system would need to be "back-filled" to avoid a lapse in hurricane response.
Although the contract proposed a plan to address the shortfall, it made clear that the rush to equip the detention facility had compromised the availability of critical disaster preparedness resources at the height of hurricane season, which spans from June 1 to November 30.
A $27,740 contract awarded to WeatherSTEM Inc. also raised concerns. TPM noted its founder and CEO, Ed Mansouri, donated $3,000 to Gov. Ron DeSantis in November 2021, prompting criticism from Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikki Fried, who accused DeSantis of "abusing emergency powers to hand out no-bid contracts to political donors."
According to the report, construction of the facility may have cost between $42 million and $66 million, but possibly more. DeSantis previously stated that operating the center will cost approximately $450 million per year and will be funded by state taxpayers.
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