MIAMI (AP) — A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction halting the expansion of an immigration detention center constructed in the heart of the Florida Everglades, an area long-preserved for its environmental significance. Known as ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ by some advocates, the facility faces allegations of violating environmental laws.
The injunction, ordered by U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams, formalized a temporary suspension first announced two weeks earlier while a multiday hearing unfolded to evaluate the case’s merits. Moments after the ruling was issued, the state of Florida indicated its intention to appeal.
A spokesperson for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stated that deportations would continue unabated despite the ruling, saying, “The deportations will continue until morale improves.”
Judge Williams indicated that the detention center’s population is expected to decrease within the next 60 days as detainees are transferred to other facilities. Following this transfer, she outlined a plan for dismantling infrastructure such as fencing, lighting, and generators, emphasizing that no new detainees should be introduced to the facility beyond those already present.
The ruling permits modifications or repairs to existing structures only for enhancing safety or addressing environmental risks.
In her 82-page order, Williams criticized state officials for failing to adequately justify the location of the detention facility, highlighting a disregard for alternative sites during its expedited construction.
“What is apparent, however, is that in their haste to construct the detention camp, the State did not consider alternative locations,” she wrote.
Judge Williams pointed to the decades-long efforts aimed at preserving the Everglades, noting that numerous political leaders have historically pledged support for its conservation.
“Since that time, every Florida governor, every Florida senator, and countless local and national political figures, including presidents, have publicly pledged their unequivocal support for the restoration, conservation, and protection of the Everglades,” she continued. “This order does nothing more than uphold the basic requirements of legislation designed to fulfill those promises.”
The facility had recently drawn attention when President Donald Trump visited it last month, suggesting it could serve as a model for future immigrant detention facilities nationally amid broader efforts to ramp up deportations.
Environmental advocates and the Miccosukee Tribe have contended that further construction and operations at the center should be halted until compliance with federal environmental laws is achieved. They argue that the project threatens delicate wetlands essential for multiple protected species and could undo years of costly environmental restoration efforts.
Eve Samples, the executive director of Friends of the Everglades, shared her views on the ruling, calling it a landmark victory for environmental advocacy in the region. “It sends a clear message that environmental laws must be respected by leaders at the highest levels of our government — and there are consequences for ignoring them,” she stated.
Miccosukee Tribe Chairman Talbert Cypress emphasized the tribe’s longstanding commitment to defending their cultural rights. “We will always stand up for our culture, our sovereignty, and for the Everglades,” he asserted.
Legal representatives for both the state and federal defendants did not respond promptly to inquiries regarding the ruling. They have previously claimed that while the facility detains federal detainees, its construction and operation are fully governed by the state of Florida, thereby exempting it from federal environmental regulations. However, Judge Williams maintained that the center represents a joint effort between state and federal authorities.
The detention center has been rapidly constructed in a location with minimal previous use, situated within an old training airport in the Everglades. Currently, the facility holds several hundred detainees, but its design allows for an eventual capacity of up to 3,000 individuals in temporary tent structures.
Testimonies from detainees shed light on alarming conditions inside the facility. Reports indicate that food is often infested with worms, restroom issues lead to flooding with fecal matter, and insects like mosquitoes abound. In the sweltering heat, air conditioning reportedly fails, leaving detainees sweltering, often without access to showers or necessary medications.
Witnesses supporting the environmental groups during the legal hearing noted that the construction had led to the addition of at least 20 acres of asphalt since the project’s initiation by the Florida Division of Emergency Management. Concerns were raised that this paving could exacerbate water runoff into nearby wetlands, introduce harmful chemicals into the Everglades ecosystem, and threaten habitats for endangered species such as the Florida panther.
Attorneys representing the federal and state agencies had requested the dismissal or transfer of the injunction request, contending that the lawsuit was filed in an incorrect jurisdiction. Nonetheless, Judge Williams affirmed that her court was indeed the appropriate venue for the matter at hand.
In a related development, another federal judge in Miami dismissed part of a separate lawsuit this week that alleged detainees faced barriers to accessing the legal system at the immigration detention center. Some remaining elements of that case have been relocated to a different court for further consideration.
As discussions around the controversial detention facility continue, there are indications that Governor DeSantis’ administration may be preparing to establish a second immigration detention center at a site in northern Florida under the jurisdiction of the Florida National Guard.
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