‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Contracts Disappeared From a Florida State Database
State contracts for Florida’s controversial “Alligator Alcatraz” detention camp were removed from a public database and replaced with far less detailed documents after media outlets began writing about them last week.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), which is overseeing the state’s new immigrant detention camp in the Everglades, says the contracts contained “proprietary information.”
However, open government advocates and state Democratic lawmakers say that removing details of the contracts flies in the face of Florida’s promises to provide transparency in public spending, especially given the massive expenditures of taxpayer money involved. The most recent reporting on the ballooning costs of the Everglades detention camp puts it at $250 million and growing.
“That’s a lot of our money that we deserve to see how it’s spent, and it’s a high profile project,” David Cuillier, director of the Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the University of Florida, says. “There’s a lot of public interest, so those are two reasons why this information should be proactively posted online.”
On July 16, The Tributary, a nonprofit Florida news outlet, first reported details of a $78 million contract to Critical Response Strategies (CRS), a consulting company that is apparently responsible for managing day-to-day operations at the detention camp. The Tributary reported that CRS is linked to a venture capital firm headed by one of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ “biggest financial backers.”
But shortly after reporters began piecing together the details of who was being hired to staff, supply, and service the 3,000-person-capacity tent prison, the information start
Article from Reason.com
The Reason Magazine website is a go-to destination for libertarians seeking cogent analysis, investigative reporting, and thought-provoking commentary. Championing the principles of individual freedom, limited government, and free markets, the site offers a diverse range of articles, videos, and podcasts that challenge conventional wisdom and advocate for libertarian solutions. Whether you’re interested in politics, culture, or technology, Reason provides a unique lens that prioritizes liberty and rational discourse. It’s an essential resource for those who value critical thinking and nuanced debate in the pursuit of a freer society.
