A federal judge has barred the Florida immigration detention center known as “Alligator Alcatraz” from taking in any more detainees and has ordered it to begin dismantling its infrastructure due to environmental concerns.
On Thursday, in a late-night ruling, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams granted a preliminary injunction, siding with the plaintiff’s argument that “significant” harm is likely occurring to wildlife near the facility, located in Ochopee, Florida, adjacent to the Big Cypress National Preserve.
Originally an old airfield, it’s now been converted into tent structures capable of accommodating up to approximately 2,000 people, with plans to double that number in the future. Back when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced plans for the facility, environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe sued, claiming it violated the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires an environmental study to be conducted before any federal action or construction project.
“No later than sixty (60) days from the date of this order, and once the population attrition allows for safe implementation of this Order,” Williams wrote in her 82-page ruling, “the Defendants shall remove 1) the temporary fencing installed by Defendants to allow Tribe members access to the site consistent with the access they enjoyed before the erection of the detention camp; 2) the Sunbelt lighting fixtures and any additional lighting installed for the use of the property as a detention facility; and 3) all generators, gas, sewage, and other waste and waste receptacles that were installed to support this project.”
State officials have said they will fight back.
The purpose of the facility, which got its name because it is surrounded by alligators in the Everglades — making escape risky — is to fulfill President Donald Trump’s campaign promise to crack down on illegal immigration in the United States.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier called the lawsuit against Alligator Alcatraz a “sham.”
“There is nothing about Alligator Alcatraz that comes close to the Everglades or infringing on environmental concerns,” he told Fox News.
DeSantis also told news outlets that they expect an adverse ruling following the appeal. “And we also knew we were going to immediately appeal and get that decision stayed,” he said. “So we will ultimately be successful in this. It’s not going to stop our resolve. We’re going to continue to do what we need to do to help the Trump administration remove illegal aliens from our country. You know, that’s the mandate that they have. So we anticipated this, but I don’t think it’s going to be insurmountable in the end.”
