ORLANDO, Fla. — An immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades, colloquially known as 'Alligator Alcatraz', will remain open after an appeals court ruling upheld the site’s operations despite earlier orders to close due to non-compliance with federal environmental laws.
A majority from the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals stated that the facility, constructed by Florida officials, does not fall under federal control and therefore is not subject to federal environmental review requirements. 'Florida, not federal officials, constructed the facility,' the judges noted.
The ruling came after a preliminary injunction from U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams aimed at ceasing operations at the facility due to environmental law violations, but the appeals court halted this order just days after it was issued last August.
While Florida has received no federal funding for the facility, environmental groups such as Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity expressed their intentions to continue legal efforts against its operation, emphasizing the ecological risks the detention center poses in a delicate ecosystem.
Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglades, remarked, 'This fight is far from over... Alligator Alcatraz was hastily erected in one of the most fragile ecosystems in the country without the most basic environmental review.'
In contrast, dissenting opinions from Judge Nancy Abudu pointed out that immigration remains under federal jurisdiction and argued that the federal government retains authority over the facility’s operations.
The detention center, opened last summer to bolster President Trump’s immigration enforcement strategies, has faced scrutiny not only for its legal status but also for reports of serious misconduct, including allegations of violence against detainees. As this legal situation persists, advocates continue to highlight the environmental implications and human rights concerns surrounding the center.
A majority from the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals stated that the facility, constructed by Florida officials, does not fall under federal control and therefore is not subject to federal environmental review requirements. 'Florida, not federal officials, constructed the facility,' the judges noted.
The ruling came after a preliminary injunction from U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams aimed at ceasing operations at the facility due to environmental law violations, but the appeals court halted this order just days after it was issued last August.
While Florida has received no federal funding for the facility, environmental groups such as Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity expressed their intentions to continue legal efforts against its operation, emphasizing the ecological risks the detention center poses in a delicate ecosystem.
Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglades, remarked, 'This fight is far from over... Alligator Alcatraz was hastily erected in one of the most fragile ecosystems in the country without the most basic environmental review.'
In contrast, dissenting opinions from Judge Nancy Abudu pointed out that immigration remains under federal jurisdiction and argued that the federal government retains authority over the facility’s operations.
The detention center, opened last summer to bolster President Trump’s immigration enforcement strategies, has faced scrutiny not only for its legal status but also for reports of serious misconduct, including allegations of violence against detainees. As this legal situation persists, advocates continue to highlight the environmental implications and human rights concerns surrounding the center.
