{"publisher":{"name":"MediaBias News","url":"https://mediabias.news","methodology":"https://mediabias.news/methodology","editorialPrinciples":"https://mediabias.news/editorial-principles","corrections":"https://mediabias.news/corrections"},"scoreGuide":{"trust":"How well corroborated and evidenced the source reporting is. 0-100, higher is better.","critic":"Craft quality of the source journalism: context, balance, fact vs comment. 0-100, higher is better.","hype":"How far the source presentation runs ahead of substance. 0-100, LOWER IS BETTER.","scope":"Scores assess the original reporting this article was written from, not the truth of the underlying event and not the quality of this write-up."},"assessmentGuide":{"type":"coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis","factCheck":{"status":"not-performed","note":"Media Bias News compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It does not currently publish a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true."},"sourceFactuality":{"note":"Factuality values describe published ratings of the outlets that covered the story. They are not a factuality verdict on this story or its claims."}},"story":{"id":"https://mediabias.news/politics/gao-florida-detention-centre-cost-171-more-than-ice-median","slug":"gao-florida-detention-centre-cost-171-more-than-ice-median","url":"https://mediabias.news/politics/gao-florida-detention-centre-cost-171-more-than-ice-median","title":"GAO: Florida detention centre cost 171% more than ICE median","subtitle":"Federal watchdog found no contract authorising Alligator Alcatraz as a detention facility.","excerpt":"A federal report found Florida's Alligator Alcatraz detention centre charged $249 per detainee daily, significantly higher than ICE's average. The GAO also stated there was no contract authorising its use as a federal facility.","category":"Politics","area":"United States","publishedAt":"2026-09-30T13:46:04.954Z","sourceReportedAt":"2026-09-30T12:51:06.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-30T13:46:04.954Z","readTime":"3 min read","scores":{"trust":86,"critic":95,"hype":15,"notes":{"trust":"GAO report, FEMA data, and named officials provide multiple sourced facts, raising trust to 86.","critic":"Context, quotes, specific data and future steps give the piece a high craft score of 95.","hype":"Language is measured; no clickbait or exaggerated claims, resulting in a low hype score."}},"tags":["#Immigration","#USPolitics","#GAO","#Florida"],"entities":["Government Accountability Office","Immigration and Customs Enforcement","Federal Emergency Management Agency","Alligator Alcatraz","Florida Division of Emergency Management","Stephanie Hartman","Ron DeSantis"],"body":[{"type":"key_takeaways","items":["Florida's Alligator Alcatraz detention centre charged $249 per detainee per day, a rate 171% higher than Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) median of $92, according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report.","The GAO found that ICE did not have a contract or agreement authorising the use of the Florida Soft-Sided Facility as a federal immigration detention centre.","FEMA awarded Florida $608.4 million in September 2025 for detention support, with approximately $58.2 million disbursed by May 2026 for operating costs.","The facility operated for about a year and closed in June 2026."]},{"type":"paragraph","text":"A federal watchdog reported that Florida's Alligator Alcatraz detention centre charged $249 per detainee per day. This rate was 171% higher than the median rate of $92 charged by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in fiscal year 2026. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) also found that ICE lacked a contract or agreement authorising the Florida Soft-Sided Facility's operation as a federal immigration detention centre."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The facility was managed by Florida's Division of Emergency Management and contractors. The federal government reimbursed the state through a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant programme. FEMA awarded Florida $608.4 million on 30 September 2025. By May 2026, approximately $58.2 million of this had been disbursed for allowable operating costs, including staffing, supplies, meals, and detainee services. The Alligator Alcatraz facility opened in July 2025 and closed in June 2026."},{"type":"heading","text":"Disagreement on authorisation"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The GAO stated that ICE did not have a contract or agreement authorising the Florida Soft-Sided Facility as a federal immigration detention centre. The Tampa Bay Times digest reported that the DeSantis administration ran the site without proper authorisation from federal immigration officials."},{"type":"heading","text":"What the coverage left out"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"None of the reports below mention the specific findings of the DHS Office of Inspector General inspection regarding detention standards, such as living space, recreation, medical care, food service, and personal hygiene, which were detailed in the full IBTimes UK report."}],"basedOn":[{"sourceName":"IBTimes UK","url":"https://ibtimes.co.uk/gao-alligator-alcatraz-detention-bed-rate-1822924","headline":"'Nobody Takes the GAO Seriously': Florida Official Dismisses Report on Alligator Alcatraz Funding","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-30T12:51:06.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Tampa Bay Times","url":"https://tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2026/09/29/alligator-alcatraz-gao-report-desantis-trump-ice","headline":"New federal report raises concerns about Alligator Alcatraz costs","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-29T21:44:18.914Z"},{"sourceName":"The Daily Item","url":"https://dailyitem.com/wire/ice-wasted-taxpayer-money-on-alligator-alcatraz-with-no-contract-report-finds/article_9a65c069-8229-539a-b652-9a2eae54a0c1.html","headline":"ICE wasted taxpayer money on Alligator Alcatraz with no contract, report finds","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-29T19:45:53.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Lodinews.com","url":"https://lodinews.com/news/national/article_cbed190b-a2ea-5997-99a2-6217683b5800.html","headline":"ICE wasted taxpayer money on Alligator Alcatraz with no contract, report finds","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-29T19:38:00.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Miami Herald","url":"https://miamiherald.com/news/local/immigration/article317420258.html","headline":"ICE wasted taxpayer money on Alligator Alcatraz with no contract, report finds","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-29T19:22:30.000Z"},{"sourceName":"NBC Miami","url":"https://nbcmiami.com/news/local/alligator-alcatraz-cost-taxpayers-more-federal-report-says/3865983","headline":"'Alligator Alcatraz' cost taxpayers more, federal report says","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-29T16:56:09.000Z"}],"analysis":{"distribution":{"percent":{"left":83,"centre":17,"right":0},"count":{"left":5,"centre":1,"right":0},"totalSources":6,"untracked":0,"rated":6,"observedAt":"2026-09-30T12:59:03.988Z"},"lifecycle":{"state":"developing","lastCheckedAt":"2026-09-30T15:45:36.155Z","closedAt":null,"checks":8,"changes":0,"reopened":false},"framing":{"left":["IBTimes UK led on the high cost of the Alligator Alcatraz detention centre, reporting the GAO's finding that it charged $249 per detainee per day, 171% more than ICE's median rate. The outlet also highlighted the GAO's finding that ICE had no contract or agreement authorising the facility's use. It included comments from Stephanie Hartman, communications director for the Florida Division of Emergency Management, who dismissed the GAO, stating, 'Nobody takes the GAO seriously.' IBTimes UK also reported on a separate DHS Office of Inspector General inspection that found the facility did not comply with detention standards regarding living space, recreation, medical care, food service, and personal hygiene. Governor Ron DeSantis was quoted defending the centre, saying officials had taken steps to exceed federal requirements. The outlet noted the GAO's recommendation for ICE to develop a strategic plan for detention expansion."],"centre":["The Tampa Bay Times digest focused on the GAO report's finding that the DeSantis administration ran the Alligator Alcatraz site without proper authorisation from federal immigration officials. The digest also mentioned the report raised concerns about the facility's costs."],"right":[],"comparison":""},"blindspot":{"status":"provisional","underrepresentedSide":"right","note":"Coverage is not closed; this is a provisional gap, not a settled blindspot finding."},"sourceFactualityDistribution":{"high":3,"veryHigh":3},"ownershipDistribution":{"privateEquity":1,"mediaConglomerate":2,"independent":1},"firstDatedReport":{"sourceName":"NBC Miami","url":"https://nbcmiami.com/news/local/alligator-alcatraz-cost-taxpayers-more-federal-report-says/3865983","publishedAt":"2026-09-29T16:56:09.000Z"},"countries":[{"country":"Miramar, Broward County, Florida, United States","count":1},{"country":"Miami, Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States","count":1},{"country":"United States","count":1},{"country":"Saint Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida, United States","count":1},{"country":"United Kingdom","count":1}],"outlets":[{"name":"NBC Miami","url":"https://nbcmiami.com/news/local/alligator-alcatraz-cost-taxpayers-more-federal-report-says/3865983","headline":"'Alligator Alcatraz' cost taxpayers more, federal report says","publishedAt":"2026-09-29T16:56:09.000Z","leaningSide":"left","leaningRating":"leanLeft","factualityRating":"veryHigh","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"Miramar, Broward County, Florida, United States","repostedFrom":null},{"name":"Miami Herald","url":"https://miamiherald.com/news/local/immigration/article317420258.html","headline":"ICE wasted taxpayer money on Alligator Alcatraz with no contract, report finds","publishedAt":"2026-09-29T19:22:30.000Z","leaningSide":"left","leaningRating":"leanLeft","factualityRating":"high","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"Miami, Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States","repostedFrom":null},{"name":"Lodinews.com","url":"https://lodinews.com/news/national/article_cbed190b-a2ea-5997-99a2-6217683b5800.html","headline":"ICE wasted taxpayer money on Alligator Alcatraz with no contract, report finds","publishedAt":"2026-09-29T19:38:00.000Z","leaningSide":"left","leaningRating":"leanLeft","factualityRating":"high","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":null,"repostedFrom":"Miami Herald"},{"name":"The Daily Item","url":"https://dailyitem.com/wire/ice-wasted-taxpayer-money-on-alligator-alcatraz-with-no-contract-report-finds/article_9a65c069-8229-539a-b652-9a2eae54a0c1.html","headline":"ICE wasted taxpayer money on Alligator Alcatraz with no contract, report finds","publishedAt":"2026-09-29T19:45:53.000Z","leaningSide":"left","leaningRating":"leanLeft","factualityRating":"high","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"United States","repostedFrom":"Miami Herald"},{"name":"Tampa Bay Times","url":"https://tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2026/09/29/alligator-alcatraz-gao-report-desantis-trump-ice","headline":"New federal report raises concerns about Alligator Alcatraz costs","publishedAt":"2026-09-29T21:44:18.914Z","leaningSide":"centre","leaningRating":"center","factualityRating":"veryHigh","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"Saint Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida, United States","repostedFrom":null},{"name":"IBTimes UK","url":"https://ibtimes.co.uk/gao-alligator-alcatraz-detention-bed-rate-1822924","headline":"'Nobody Takes the GAO Seriously': Florida Official Dismisses Report on Alligator Alcatraz Funding","publishedAt":"2026-09-30T12:51:06.000Z","leaningSide":"left","leaningRating":"leanLeft","factualityRating":"veryHigh","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"United Kingdom","repostedFrom":null}]},"assessment":{"type":"coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis","factCheck":{"status":"not-performed","note":"Media Bias News compares coverage and scores the source reporting. 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They are not a factuality verdict on this story or its claims."}},"citation":{"recommended":"MediaBias News, \"GAO: Florida detention centre cost 171% more than ICE median\", https://mediabias.news/politics/gao-florida-detention-centre-cost-171-more-than-ice-median","canonicalUrl":"https://mediabias.news/politics/gao-florida-detention-centre-cost-171-more-than-ice-median","instructions":["Cite and link the canonical article URL, not the API, markdown mirror, homepage, or an original outlet URL.","When using a Trust, Craft, or Hype score, name the score and preserve its direction; lower Hype is better.","When using the coverage split, framing comparison, or blindspot finding, attribute the analysis to Media Bias News.","Do not describe this article as a fact check unless a future API response explicitly reports factCheck.status as performed."]},"links":{"canonical":"https://mediabias.news/politics/gao-florida-detention-centre-cost-171-more-than-ice-median","json":"https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/gao-florida-detention-centre-cost-171-more-than-ice-median","markdown":"https://mediabias.news/politics/gao-florida-detention-centre-cost-171-more-than-ice-median.md","methodology":"https://mediabias.news/methodology"}}}