Judge blocks ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ expansion; No new detainees allowed
A federal judge has slammed the brakes on “Alligator Alcatraz,” Florida’s controversial immigrant detention facility in the Everglades. An injunction issued Thursday bars any new construction and blocks Florida from bringing in more detainees.
U.S. District Judge Kathleen M. Williams issued the preliminary injunction based on National Environmental Policy Act violations. It comes after environmental groups and Native American tribes sued to stop the facility, which opened in July on an airstrip in Ochopee’s Big Cypress National Preserve.
The news also comes after Williams ordered a temporary halt to construction. The halt was an effort to give her time to determine if the facility violated environmental laws.
Injunction requirements
Under the new injunction, the facility can remain open; however, the 82-page ruling includes several stipulations. It says, “once the population attrition allows for safe implementation of this Order,” the facility must remove “all generators, gas, sewage and other waste and waste receptacles that were installed to support this project.”
The judge ruled that the temporary fencing must come down, allowing Native Americans to access the land as they had before the facility’s construction.
The facility must also remove additional lighting that was installed for the detention facility. While the judge ruled the facility could stay open, it’s unclear how it can do so following the resource removals. It is also barred from bringing in any more detainees.
Response to the ruling
The ruling is a major win for environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe, which sued over damage to the Everglades.
Following the ruling, the tribe released a statement:
“This is not our first fight for our land and rights. The Miccosukee Tribe remains steadfast in our commitment to protect our ancestral lands in Big Cypress from development as a permanent detention facility. We will continue to fight to ensure that the government does not dodge its legal requirements for environmental review on seized public lands, sacred to our people.”
— Miccosukee Tribe Chairman Talbert Cypress
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ spokesperson dismissed the criticism, saying, “The deportations will continue until morale improves.”
The state plans to appeal.
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
