{"id":284,"date":"2026-05-14T11:33:43","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T11:33:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southfloridamovingguides.com\/?p=284"},"modified":"2026-05-14T11:33:43","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T11:33:43","slug":"after-6-months-in-alligator-alcatraz-miami-dade-father-reunites-with-family","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southfloridamovingguides.com\/?p=284","title":{"rendered":"After 6 months in Alligator Alcatraz, Miami-Dade father reunites with family"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. \u2014 After six months of uncertainty, tears and relentless advocacy from his family, Justo Bentacourt is finally home.<\/p>\n

Read more Man known for racially derogatory livestreams charged with attempted murder after Tennessee shooting<\/a><\/p>\n

The emotional reunion unfolded early Thursday morning in southwest Miami-Dade, where Bentacourt embraced his family for the first time since the father of three was detained during a routine immigration check-in late last year and sent to the controversial detention facility known as \u201cAlligator Alcatraz.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew one day I\u2019d get out,\u201d Bentacourt said shortly after his release.<\/p>\n

Arianne Bentacourt had vowed from the beginning not to stop fighting for her father\u2019s freedom. Local 10 first met her outside the detention center in November, where she made it clear she would do everything possible to bring him home.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not giving up,\u201d she said at the time. \u201cI\u2019ve always said I\u2019m the kind of person \u2014 if I say I\u2019m going to do something, I\u2019ll get it done.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, six months later, that determination appears to have paid off.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou just hugged your dad for the first time in six months,\u201d Local 10\u2019s Magdala Louissaint told Arianne during the reunion.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m proud of myself, and I\u2019m happy to have him home,\u201d she replied.<\/p>\n

Bentacourt described difficult and traumatic conditions inside the Everglades detention center.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s crazy,\u201d he said. \u201cThe animals don\u2019t stay like how people stay over there. Every single day you have to work for your life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Key Largo man leaves child at resort beach while getting drunk and \u2018causing a scene,\u2019 cops say<\/a><\/p>\n

According to the family and their attorney, a judge recently agreed Bentacourt had been detained for too long, clearing the way for his release.<\/p>\n

Still, Bentacourt said his freedom is bittersweet because many others remain behind.<\/p>\n

\u201cI leave a lot of people inside,\u201d he said. \u201cAn old man, 80 years old \u2014 people wish they were here. It\u2019s crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n

When asked what message he had for families with loved ones still detained at Alligator Alcatraz, Bentacourt urged them not to give up, \u201ctry to do the right thing\u201d and follow \u201cyour habeas corpus.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bentacourt\u2019s release comes as questions continue to swirl around the future of the controversial detention center. A recent report by The New York Times claimed the facility could shut down in June, though neither Gov. Ron DeSantis nor the Trump administration has confirmed those reports.<\/p>\n

However, vendors told Local 10 they have been informed operations at the facility are expected to end by June 1.<\/p>\n

Read more Speeding boater kills diver in Florida Keys, deputies say<\/a><\/p>\n

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After six months of uncertainty, tears and relentless advocacy from his family, Justo Bentacourt is finally home.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":283,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-284","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nAfter 6 months in Alligator Alcatraz, Miami-Dade father reunites with family - South Florida Moving Guides<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/southfloridamovingguides.com\/?p=284\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"After 6 months in Alligator Alcatraz, Miami-Dade father reunites with family - 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