On Thursday, a federal judge in Miami, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams, issued a temporary restraining order, halting construction at an immigrant detention center in the Florida Everglades known as "Alligator Alcatraz." The facility, built rapidly two months ago on a rarely used single-runway airport, has the capacity to house up to 3,000 detainees in temporary tent structures. Judge Williams' order prevents any further installation of industrial-style lighting, as well as any paving, filling, excavating, or fencing at the site. Additionally, it prohibits any expansion of the facility, including the placement of new buildings, tents, or administrative structures.
While the order does not restrict ongoing law enforcement or immigration activities at the center, which currently holds hundreds of detainees, it aims to assess whether the construction violates environmental laws. Environmental advocates and the Miccosukee Tribe have urged the judge to issue a preliminary injunction to stop operations, arguing that the project endangers sensitive wetlands harboring protected species and could undermine billions of dollars spent on environmental restoration efforts.
Eve Samples, executive director at Friends of the Everglades, expressed satisfaction with the judge's decision, highlighting the urgent need to protect the delicate Everglades ecosystem from potential damage due to this mass detention facility. In contrast, a spokesperson for Florida's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis criticized the ruling, maintaining that it would not affect immigration enforcement in the state. The spokesperson stated that "Alligator Alcatraz" would continue to serve as an operational hub for deportation efforts.
The temporary order is set to last for two weeks while a preliminary injunction hearing proceeds. The legal battle is focused on the jurisdiction over the site, with plaintiffs contending that the facility violates the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which mandates federal agencies to evaluate the environmental impact of major construction projects. Florida attorney Jesse Panuccio argued during the hearing that the state is solely responsible for the construction and operation of the facility, claiming that NEPA does not apply.
However, plaintiffs emphasized that the facility is essentially a federal initiative for immigration enforcement, which falls under federal jurisdiction. Judge Williams acknowledged the situation as a collaboration between state and federal authorities. During the hearing, experts provided testimony asserting that significant infrastructure, such as 20 acres (8 hectares) of asphalt, had been added to the site since its inception, potentially harming nearby wetlands through increased runoff and chemical contamination.
This lawsuit in Miami is one of two legal challenges against the South Florida detention center, which opened on July 3, 2023. A separate lawsuit, filed by civil rights organizations, claims that detainees’ constitutional rights are being violated, as they have been denied access to legal counsel, are held without charges, and face canceled bond hearings. In response, the state has claimed that detainees have been allowed to meet with their attorneys since mid-July.
Construction and maintenance of the detention center have been carried out by the state of Florida, functioning under an intergovernmental agreement with federal agencies. The plaintiffs have argued that regardless of state involvement, federal law requires an environmental assessment prior to construction. Attorneys for state and federal authorities have requested the dismissal of the injunction, citing jurisdictional inaccuracies within the filed lawsuit.
As these legal proceedings unfold, the DeSantis administration is reportedly moving forward with plans for a second detention center in a northern Florida National Guard training facility, indicating ongoing developments in Florida's immigration enforcement strategy.
