In a move that has stirred national debate and drawn the eyes of policymakers and environmentalists alike, a federal judge has ordered the immediate halt to further expansion of the controversial immigration detention center known as "Alligator Alcatraz," located deep within the Florida Everglades National Park. The decision, delivered on August 21, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams, comes after mounting legal challenges from environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe, who claim the facility threatens one of America's most sensitive and storied ecological treasures.
The so-called "Alligator Alcatraz"—a name coined by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in reference to the infamous island prison off San Francisco and the Everglades' resident alligator population—was established just two months ago on the grounds of the former Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport. The site, transformed almost overnight into a sprawling tent city, was designed to house up to 5,000 immigration detainees as part of the Trump administration’s push to ramp up deportations and border enforcement infrastructure. Currently, the facility holds several hundred detainees, but its rapid construction and location have sparked fierce criticism and legal battles.
Judge Williams’ preliminary injunction formalizes a temporary halt she had ordered earlier in August, as testimony in a multiday hearing continued to pile up. Her ruling explicitly prohibits bringing any new detainees onto the property, save for those already housed there, and gives the state and federal officials 60 days to reduce the population through transfers to other facilities. Once that’s done, the order mandates the removal of fencing, lighting, and generators, though it leaves room for safety-related repairs or modifications to existing structures.
"What is apparent, however, is that in their haste to construct the detention camp, the State did not consider alternative locations," Judge Williams wrote in her 82-page order, according to the Associated Press. She went on to highlight the decades-long, bipartisan efforts to preserve the Everglades: "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. This order does nothing more than uphold the basic requirements of legislation designed to fulfill those promises."
The injunction is not just a legal technicality. It’s a rebuke of what critics say was a reckless disregard for the environment and the rights of the region’s Indigenous peoples. Environmental groups, backed by the Miccosukee Tribe, argue that the center’s construction violated federal environmental laws, threatening wetlands that are home to protected plants and animals—including the endangered Florida panther—and potentially undoing billions of dollars’ worth of restoration efforts. Witnesses testified that at least 20 acres of asphalt had been added to the site since construction began, raising the risk of water runoff, chemical pollution, and habitat loss.
"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," said Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglades, in a statement cited by the Miami Herald. Miccosukee Tribe Chairman Talbert Cypress echoed the sentiment, asserting, "We will always stand up for our culture, our sovereignty, and for the Everglades." Amy Castaneda, the Miccosukee Tribe’s water resource director, provided testimony that nutrient runoff from the detention center could flow into tribal lands, change vegetation growth, and cause fish kills, blocking movement for both humans and wildlife.
The facility’s conditions have also drawn sharp criticism. According to Associated Press reports and court testimony, detainees are housed in large white tents surrounded by chain-link cages, where they face poor sanitation—worms in the food, toilets that don’t flush and flood floors with fecal waste, swarms of mosquitoes, and intermittent air conditioning in the Florida heat. Many go days without showers or prescription medications, and their only link to lawyers or loved ones is by phone. State officials have denied some of these allegations, but the accounts have fueled outrage among civil rights advocates.
The legal wrangling over "Alligator Alcatraz" has been intense. Attorneys for the state and federal governments have argued that, because the facility is operated by the state of Florida—even though it houses federal detainees—federal environmental laws don’t apply. Judge Williams, however, found that the center is at least a joint partnership between state and federal authorities, making those laws relevant. She also rejected arguments that the lawsuit was filed in the wrong jurisdiction, affirming her court’s authority over the matter.
The controversy has spilled into the political arena. Florida has already filed a notice of appeal, signaling that the fight over the Everglades detention center is far from over. Meanwhile, Governor DeSantis’ administration is reportedly preparing to construct a second immigration detention facility at a Florida National Guard training center in northern Florida, raising the specter of further legal and political clashes down the line.
President Donald Trump, who toured the "Alligator Alcatraz" facility in July 2025, has been a vocal supporter. He praised the center as a model for future lockups nationwide, stating, "We had a request from the federal government to (create the facility), and so 'Alligator Alcatraz' it is." Trump has also floated the idea of reopening the original Alcatraz prison as a "symbol of law, order, and justice," underscoring his administration’s hardline stance on immigration enforcement.
The Everglades itself is no ordinary backdrop for a policy dispute. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is recognized for its unparalleled biodiversity and ecological importance. According to UNESCO, the park "contains the largest mangrove ecosystem in the Western Hemisphere, the largest continuous stand of sawgrass prairie, and the most significant breeding ground for wading birds in North America." The juxtaposition of a massive detention center amid such a sensitive and celebrated landscape has only heightened the stakes and the passions involved.
Legal battles over the facility’s impact on detainees’ rights are also ongoing. A separate lawsuit brought by civil rights groups alleges that detainees are being held without charges, denied access to lawyers, and have had their bond hearings canceled. A federal judge in Miami recently dismissed part of that lawsuit and transferred the remaining counts to another jurisdiction, adding yet another layer of complexity to the unfolding drama.
As the dust settles on Judge Williams’ landmark ruling, the future of "Alligator Alcatraz" remains uncertain. What is clear, though, is that the clash between immigration policy, environmental protection, and civil rights at the heart of the Everglades will continue to reverberate far beyond Florida’s borders.
