In a dramatic turn for immigration policy and environmental protection in Florida, a federal judge has ordered the Trump administration and the state of Florida to wind down operations at the controversial immigrant detention center known as "Alligator Alcatraz." Situated deep within the Everglades, this facility has become the focal point of heated legal battles, environmental activism, and political maneuvering—raising urgent questions about the intersection of law enforcement, environmental stewardship, and the rights of detainees.
On August 21, 2025, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams issued an 82-page ruling granting a preliminary injunction against the transfer of any additional detainees to the Alligator Alcatraz center. The injunction also requires the removal of temporary fencing, industrial lighting, generators, sewage, and waste receptacles within 60 days. According to Benzinga and CNN, this move halts not only the intake of new detainees but also any further construction at the site, pending a full review of its environmental impact.
The facility, constructed at breakneck speed on an abandoned airstrip near Miami, was inaugurated in July 2025 by President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Initially designed to accommodate 1,000 detainees, it was set for a massive expansion to hold up to 10,000 individuals. The rapid build—completed in just eight days—was part of a broader Trump administration initiative to ramp up deportations and enforce the long-dormant Alien Registration Act, which requires all non-citizens in the United States to register with the government. This aggressive push has led to a surge in immigration-related arrests and legal debates across the country.
But the very location of Alligator Alcatraz, in the heart of the Everglades, sparked immediate backlash. A coalition of environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida filed lawsuits, arguing that the government bypassed necessary environmental reviews, violating the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and risking irreparable harm to the fragile Everglades ecosystem. The judge agreed, writing, "Plaintiffs have provided extensive evidence supporting their claims of significant ongoing and likely future environmental harms from the project." She further emphasized, "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."
Environmental advocates celebrated the decision as a watershed moment. Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglades, declared, "This brutal detention center was burning a hole in the fabric of life that supports our most iconic wetland and a whole host of endangered species, from majestic Florida panthers to wizened wood storks. The judge's order came just in time to stop it all from unraveling." Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava also praised the ruling, calling it a victory for both local communities and the environment.
However, the legal saga is far from over. Florida officials have already filed a notice of appeal to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, arguing that the ruling disrupts law enforcement efforts and causes significant financial losses. Governor DeSantis, undeterred by the setback, shrugged off the judge’s decision, telling reporters, "We knew the minute this judge got the case, we knew exactly what she was going to do. This is not anything that was unexpected, but we will make sure to get the job done in the end." He also announced plans for a new detention center, dubbed "Deportation Depot," and revealed that the state plans to convert a shuttered prison in Baker County into a second immigrant detention facility, to be staffed by the Florida National Guard.
The Alligator Alcatraz center’s construction and operation have been mired in controversy from the start. Critics have condemned its harsh conditions, including overcrowding and inadequate resources, as reported by CNN. The legal challenges are not just about environmental harm; they also spotlight fundamental questions of legal authority and detainee rights. On August 22, 2025, a third major lawsuit was filed in the federal court’s Middle District of Florida, alleging that Florida state agencies lack the authority to operate the Everglades facility. The suit challenges the state’s use of so-called 287(g) agreements, which are intended to deputize local law enforcement for immigration enforcement, arguing that these agreements do not authorize the operation of detention centers.
According to the lawsuit, officers working at the facility lack the federally required training to participate in immigration enforcement, leading to “unprecedented challenges that people in immigration detention typically do not face, including being held without charge, not receiving initial custody or bond determinations, not appearing in the detainee locator system, and not being able to access their attorneys or immigration court.” The legal team behind the suit, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Florida, Community Justice Project, and National Immigrant Justice Center, is seeking class-action certification and a preliminary injunction to halt state detentions at the facility.
The core of their argument is that federal law “does not provide authority for state agencies to hold immigration detainees during the removal process. And it certainly does not let them place detention in the hands of untrained, unsupervised private contractors who are not and cannot be deputized to perform immigration functions.” The lawsuit further alleges that workers at the facility have pressured detainees to sign voluntary deportation orders, a practice forbidden by ICE protocol.
The state’s position, meanwhile, is that its 287(g) agreements and partnerships with the federal government provide adequate legal cover for its actions. The Florida Department of Emergency Management is set to receive $605 million from the Trump administration for immigrant-detention efforts, with the Everglades facility alone estimated to cost roughly $450 million per year. Contractors have been hired to help build and operate the center, which can hold up to 4,000 people, according to court records cited in the lawsuit.
As the legal battles rage on, the future of Alligator Alcatraz remains uncertain. The preliminary injunction marks one of the most high-profile uses of environmental law to challenge Trump administration immigration policies, and its outcome could set significant precedents for the balance between state and federal authority, the rights of detainees, and the protection of sensitive ecosystems.
For now, the Everglades—home to endangered species and a symbol of Florida’s natural heritage—has won a reprieve. But with appeals pending and new detention facilities on the horizon, the story is far from over. The coming months will determine not just the fate of a detention center, but the direction of immigration enforcement and environmental protection in one of America’s most unique landscapes.
