No doubt feds will reimburse Florida for Alligator Alcatraz, attorney general says

Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald on Feb 27, 2026

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MIAMI — Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on Friday defended the state’s front-loaded spending on immigration enforcement, saying he expects the Trump administration to fully reimburse Florida despite ongoing legal fights and the absence of a formal repayment commitment.

The attorney general’s remarks come just days after Florida filed a court document in related litigation outlining the state’s position that it was acting under federal delegation and expects to be repaid for costs associated with detention facilities and other enforcement efforts. The filing underscored that reimbursement remains unresolved as the case moves through the courts.

Speaking at a press conference in Titusville focused on an illegal gambling crackdown, Uthmeier and Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey pivoted to address questions about whether Washington will ultimately repay Florida for those expenses.

The attorney general said he has “no reason to believe” that Washington will fail to cover the costs, even as the dispute continues to bounce between trial and appellate courts. He argued that Florida stepped in while Congress and federal agencies worked through funding and policy disputes, describing immigration enforcement as a core federal responsibility. He has previously pointed to federal involvement in the launch of the state’s detention operations as evidence that Florida was acting with Washington’s blessing.

“The state’s footing of the bill, in the long term, won’t go down as the feds take leadership in an area that is a federal responsibility,” Uthmeier said on Friday. “But we were happy to help.”

The comments come as critics question whether Florida taxpayers could be left covering millions in immigration-related costs if reimbursement is delayed or denied. While state leaders say Florida can temporarily absorb the expense, no public document guarantees when or how much federal money will flow back to the state.

State officials have described the effort — including the use of a temporary detention facility dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” — as necessary to support federal enforcement.

Ivey, the Brevard County sheriff, echoed Uthmeier’s confidence that federal dollars will flow back to Florida, and stressed the importance of deporting undocumented immigrants.

“There’s gonna be a price tag for getting them out of the country,” Ivey said. “Our federal government’s been great at reimbursing us. Our state’s been great at reimbursing us.”

Uthmeier also credited Gov. Ron DeSantis for maintaining what he described as a historic state budget surplus, arguing that Florida is financially positioned to act first and seek reimbursement later.

“He set up our economy in a way where we’ve got the largest surplus we’ve ever had in history,” Uthmeier said. “When we are facing disasters, when we are facing serious challenges, we don’t have to wait on the feds — even if it’s an area where reimbursement might be coming — we’re gonna go and we’re gonna put money on the problem.”