Work on a controversial immigration detention facility deep in the Florida Everglades—dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz"—has ground to a halt, at least temporarily, as a federal judge weighs whether its rapid construction violated environmental laws and trampled on the rights of local communities. The sprawling compound, located in Ochopee atop a little-used single-runway training airport, has become the latest flashpoint in America’s ongoing debate over immigration, detention, and environmental stewardship.
On July 4, 2025, construction crews were still busy at the site, which just weeks earlier had been transformed from a sleepy airstrip into a fenced complex of white tents, chain-link cages, and rows of bunkbeds. By early August, fewer than 1,000 detainees were being held there, but the facility is designed to eventually house up to 3,000 people. According to Associated Press, the center’s annual price tag is estimated at $450 million—a figure that’s drawn both scrutiny and outrage from critics who question the necessity and location of such an expensive project.
Last week, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams stepped in, ordering a 14-day pause on any new construction at the site while she hears arguments in a lawsuit brought by environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe of Florida. The plaintiffs argue that "Alligator Alcatraz" was erected in haste, sidestepping crucial environmental reviews mandated by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). "It just flies in the face of what NEPA requires," said Paul Schwiep, an attorney representing the environmental groups, as quoted by AP.
Despite the construction freeze, law enforcement and immigration operations have continued at the facility. At a multi-day hearing that concluded August 13, Judge Williams did not immediately decide whether to extend the halt or issue a preliminary injunction, leaving the future of "Alligator Alcatraz" hanging in the balance. A final ruling is expected next week, according to WPTV.
President Donald Trump visited the facility in July and, in remarks widely reported by local and national outlets, suggested it could serve as a model for similar detention centers nationwide. As his administration pushes to expand the infrastructure needed for increased deportations, the Florida Everglades project has become a symbol of both ambition and controversy.
Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis, a vocal supporter of the project, has defended the decision to build in such a remote and rugged location. He’s argued that the Everglades setting acts as a deterrent against escape, likening the site to the infamous California island prison, Alcatraz. "Florida is lousy with airports," Judge Williams remarked during the hearing, questioning why the state chose the middle of the Everglades over more accessible locations.
State officials maintain that the Florida Department of Emergency Management (FDEM) is solely responsible for building and operating "Alligator Alcatraz," and thus federal environmental review rules do not apply. Adam Gustafson, representing the federal government, insisted in court that Washington’s role is purely advisory. But Judge Williams noted that the center is, at a minimum, a "joint partnership" between state and federal authorities.
To bolster their case, state attorneys submitted flight logs showing that before the detention center opened, the airstrip handled dozens of flights daily. Since the facility began operations, air traffic has reportedly dropped by 98%. They also presented a preliminary ecological assessment, which found no immediate direct impacts on protected species. However, the report did recommend further study for certain species and warned that light and sound pollution from the compound could still have adverse indirect effects.
Not everyone is convinced by the state’s assurances. Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglades and the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit, said her group was denied access to the site and had to assess the impacts from afar. "Having seen the impacts already, it is hard to imagine that this won't be harmful—that this could be done in any way that would not harm the Everglades," she told WPTV. The group’s legal filings allege that at least 20 acres of new asphalt have been poured since construction began, increasing water runoff, spreading harmful chemicals, and reducing habitat for endangered Florida panthers.
The Miccosukee Tribe, whose members have lived in and around the Everglades for generations, say they were never notified of the state’s plans—despite legal requirements to consult with tribes on projects that could affect their lands and heritage. "It is the life blood of their community, their history and their identity," said Chris Ajizian, an attorney for the Miccosukee Tribe, during closing arguments.
Conditions inside the facility have also drawn sharp criticism. According to reports by WPTV and Associated Press, detainees have described inhumane conditions: worms in the food, toilets that overflow and flood the floors with wastewater, swarms of mosquitoes, and air conditioning that fails in the sweltering Florida heat. Some have gone days without showers or access to prescription medicine, and communication with lawyers and loved ones is limited to phone calls. Immigration attorney Gina Fraga relayed her client’s experience of overcrowded cells—eight cells with 32 men each—and no access to running water.
While the state has argued that the facility is being managed to avoid inadvertent environmental harm, critics point to the speed and secrecy with which it was built as evidence of a disregard for both environmental and community concerns. County officials and state lawmakers have complained they were left in the dark as the project moved forward. Meanwhile, the Friends of the Everglades and the Miccosukee Tribe are seeking to halt further construction and force a full environmental review.
Financial questions also loom large. State officials have publicly stated that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will reimburse Florida for the costs of building and operating "Alligator Alcatraz." However, in a declaration to the court, FDEM’s Ian Gadea-Guidicelli admitted that the agency does not know whether FEMA will actually provide reimbursement, how much funding might be available, or how long the process could take.
The controversy is unlikely to end soon. Governor DeSantis’ administration is reportedly preparing to build a second immigration detention center at a Florida National Guard training center in the state’s north—a move that has already drawn preemptive opposition from local activists and environmentalists.
As the legal battle over "Alligator Alcatraz" plays out, the facility stands as a stark symbol of the tensions between national immigration policy, state authority, environmental protection, and the rights of indigenous communities. The coming weeks will determine not only the fate of this Everglades compound, but also the broader direction of immigration detention policy in Florida and beyond.