Table of Contents
Topline
A federal judge on Thursday blocked the Trump administration and the Florida government from bringing any new detainees to “Alligator Alcatraz” and ordered the relocation of existing detainees within 60 days, and ruled that both federal and state officials failed to conduct necessary environmental reviews before building the immigration detention site in the Everglades.
A sign along the Tamiami Trail, also known as U.S. Highway 41, marks the entrance to Alligator Alcatraz.
NurPhoto via Getty Images
Key Facts
In her ruling, Southern District of Florida Federal Judge Kathleen Williams also ordered the state and federal officials to begin dismantling fencing, lighting, gas, sewage, power generators and other items used to set up the facility withing 60 days.
The judge noted she expects a “programmatic” winding down of the detainee population at the site during this 60-day period to allow the equipment and fencing removal to be done “in a safe, humane, and responsible manner.”
The judge acknowledged the government was under “pressure to respond and regulate” immigration, but noted that the federal and state governments shared “little to no evidence why this detention camp” in the Everglades was “uniquely suited and critical to that mission.”
Williams then chastised government officials, saying it was apparent that “in their haste to construct the detention camp, the state did not consider alternative locations.”
The ruling dismissed the state and federal government’s argument that an environmental assessments of the site under the National Environmental Policy Act—a requirement for federal agency actions—was not necessary as the site was operated by by the state government.
The judge pointed out that the project was “requested by the federal government; built with a promise of full federal funding; constructed in compliance with ICE standards; staffed by deputized ICE Task Force Officers” and wrote: “if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and looks like a duck, then it’s a duck.”
What To Watch For
Shortly after the ruling, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration filed a notice saying it intended to appeal the ruling before the Eleventh Circuit federal appellate court. DeSantis has not commented on the ruling yet, but earlier this week he said: “It’s pretty clear we’re in front of a judge who is not going to give us a fair shake on this.”
How Did The Plaintiffs React To The Ruling?
Friends of the Everglades, one of the environmental groups that had filed the lawsuit against the detention site, cheered the ruling in a statement. The group’s Executive Director, Eve Samples, said: “This is a landmark victory for the Everglades and countless Americans who believe this imperiled wilderness should be protected, not exploited. 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.”
What Else Did The Judge Say In Her Ruling?
Williams, an Obama appointee, invoked President Harry Truman’s 1947 address at the dedication of the Everglades National Park, where he described the site as an “irreplaceable primitive area.” The judge also mentioned that two decades later, an effort to build the world’s largest jetport—at the site where Alligator Alcatraz is located—was abandoned due to environmental concerns. “Since that time, 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,” she wrote.
Chief Critic
Jeremy Redfern, the communications director for Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, attacked Williams and her ruling in an X post, saying: “Just this week, a judge in the same district as Judge Williams refused to hear a case because the Southern District of Florida was the improper venue for suits about Alligator Alcatraz. Once again, she oversteps her authority, and we will appeal this unlawful decision.”
Further Reading
Judge Stops Construction At ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Amid Alleged Environmental Law Violations (Forbes)
