US District Judge Kathleen Williams issued a preliminary injunction that temporarily blocks any expansion of the facility, prohibits the addition of new detainees, and orders the removal of major infrastructure within 60 days, setting up a possible shutdown before Halloween, as per a CNN report.
What Sparked the Legal Battle Over ‘Alligator Alcatraz’?
The ruling came after a federal lawsuit filed by environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, who say the detention center, located in the remote wetlands of the Everglades, threatens the surrounding environment and tribal lands, as reported by CNN.
Judge Williams wrote in the order, “The project creates irreparable harm in the form of habitat loss and increased mortality to endangered species in the area,” as quoted in the report.
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Photos and testimony revealed 800,000 square feet of land were paved over and industrial lighting was installed, the lighting that experts testified could push endangered animals like the Florida panther out of the area and reduce their habitat by 2,000 acres, according to the report. Wastewater discharge and runoff also threaten the Miccosukee water supply, which serves 80% of tribe members living just miles away, as per the CNN report.The ruling also highlighted how the construction began without following federal environmental laws, specifically the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which requires environmental assessments before any major federal project, according to the report.Miccosukee Tribe Chairman Talbert Cypress said, “This is not our first fight for our land and rights,” adding, “We will always stand up for our culture, our sovereignty, and for the Everglades,” as quoted by CNN.ALSO READ: Roblox stock to hit $150? Wall Street analyst upgrades RBLX amid ongoing lawsuit
Inside the Detention Center: Overcrowding and Unsanitary Conditions
Conditions inside the facility have drawn widespread criticism. Lawmakers who visited last month described detainees packed into cages, 32 people per cage, using toilets with attached sinks for drinking and brushing teeth, according to the report. Some toilets weren’t working, and there were reports of feces being spread everywhere, as per the CNN report. Members of Congress were denied access to parts of the facility, including where detainees are currently held and the medical units, according to the report.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, who called the ruling a win for the community and the environment, said “Most importantly it is a victory for the families who have endured unimaginable hardship because of what happens at this facility,” adding, “The people who have been held here, the detainees have faced conditions that have shocked our community, our nation and in fact, the world, conditions that have betrayed the very values that define America,” as quoted by CNN.
Around 400 people are still detained at “Alligator Alcatraz,” though officials like Cava say they are unsure of the exact number due to lack of access, according to the report.
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Florida Officials Push Back Against Court Order
However, the state isn’t backing down, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said, “We got news last night that we had a judge try to upset the apple cart with respect to our deportation and detainee processing center down in South Florida at ‘Alligator Alcatraz.’ I just wanted to say this was not something that was unexpected,” as quoted by CNN.
DeSantis added that, “We knew that this would be something that will likely happen and we will respond accordingly,” as quoted in the report. He emphasised that, “We’re not going to be deterred,” DeSantis said. “We are totally in the right on this,” as quoted by CNN.
Florida’s Attorney General James Uthmeier called the facility “operational” and said the mission to “detain, deport, and deliver for the American people” would continue, as reported by CNN.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin echoed the state’s stance, criticizing the injunction as an attempt to block the Trump administration’s immigration policies, according to the report. McLaughlin said, “It is another attempt to prevent the President from fulfilling the American people’s mandate to remove the worst of the worst including gang members, murderers, pedophiles, terrorists, and rapists from our country,” as quoted by CNN.
Judge Williams was nominated by former President Barack Obama, a point Gov. DeSantis emphasised, calling her “activist judge” adding, “This is a judge that was not going to give us a fair shake. This was preordained, very much an activist judge that is trying to do policy from the bench,” as quoted in the report.
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Florida’s Backup Plan: ‘Deportation Depot’ and Other State Moves
While “Alligator Alcatraz” on pause, Florida is already moving forward with new facilities. DeSantis recently revealed plans for a second immigration detention center, which is called “Deportation Depot”, located at a closed state prison in northern Florida that can hold up to 2,000 detainees, as reported by CNN.
It’s part of a broader push on immigrant detention centers, with one in Indiana, the Miami Correctional Facility has offering 1,000 beds to ICE and in Nebraska, officials have announced a new ICE facility in McCook, a city with a population of around 7,000, according to the report.
FAQs
What is “Alligator Alcatraz”?
It’s a migrant detention center in the Florida Everglades, built quickly and controversially to detain undocumented immigrants.
Is Florida building more detention centers?
Yes. Plans for a second facility called “Deportation Depot” are already underway in northern Florida.