A federal judge has suspended construction of a federal immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades, dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz," after two days of testimony in a case brought by environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe. District Judge Kathleen Williams in Miami issued a two-week restraining order on Thursday, halting further paving, fencing, lighting, or other development at the site in the Big Cypress National Preserve, the Miami Herald reports. Williams said her order doesn't affect immigration enforcement activities, per NBC News.
Opponents argue that federal law requires the government to conduct a full environmental review before starting such a project, which didn't happen. The legal challenge, backed by groups including Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity, emphasizes the risks to wildlife—especially the endangered Florida panther—and the potential for water pollution in the already sensitive wetlands. Expert witnesses warned that increased pavement and bright lighting could throw the area's ecosystem out of balance, potentially driving away species and introducing pollutants. Witnesses described the site as active, with construction trucks coming and going despite the pending lawsuit ruling.
The detention center is to be run by Florida despite housing federal immigration detainees. The judge clashed with defense attorneys for the state and the Trump administration who maintained their clients don't want construction stopped. "I don't want to find out when I wake up on Monday that the site has been altered when this is going on, that should not be a concern," Williams said in court Thursday, adding, "If there's going to be further construction there's going to be further hearing."
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