• A federal judge halted expansion of Florida’s Alligator Alcatraz detention site, citing damage to the Everglades.
• The ruling blocks new detainees and construction, dealing a setback to Florida officials and President Trump’s agenda.
• Environmental groups and the Miccosukee tribe argued the facility threatens endangered species and drinking water supplies.

MIAMI, Fla. (TDR) — A federal judge ordered an indefinite halt to new construction at the detention facility dubbed Alligator Alcatraz, blocking Florida officials from transferring more detainees and siding with environmental groups who say the project endangers the fragile Everglades ecosystem.

U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams ruled Thursday that no new tents, excavations, or paved structures could be added to the site, which sits on an abandoned airfield. The order requires temporary fencing, lights, and generators to be removed within 60 days but allows the state to maintain existing housing for detainees already there.

“This Order does nothing more than uphold the basic requirements of legislation designed to fulfill those promises,” Williams wrote, noting that generations of leaders had pledged to protect the Everglades. Her decision represents a major setback for Florida’s Republican-led government and its alignment with President Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement push.

Clash Between Immigration Policy and Conservation

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Florida officials have sought to portray Alligator Alcatraz as essential to national security. They even deputized thousands of state police as federal immigration officers, planning to expand the facility in cooperation with Washington. But environmental activists argued that state leaders bypassed federal environmental reviews required under law.

The lawsuit, spearheaded by the Miccosukee tribe and conservation groups, argued that the detention site threatened endangered wildlife in the Everglades and risked the drinking water supply for millions of Floridians.

State officials countered that because the site is state-run, it does not fall under federal environmental requirements. The Trump administration pledged to reimburse Florida for its costs in operating the facility.

A Broader Network of Detention Sites

Alligator Alcatraz is not alone. Republican-led states like Indiana and Nebraska have offered facilities for federal immigration detention, part of a broader effort to support Trump’s crackdown.

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The Everglades case, however, stands out because of its collision with decades of bipartisan commitments to restore and preserve the wetlands. Williams emphasized that allowing expansion without reviews would undermine federal environmental law.

Legal Challenges Continue

A parallel lawsuit over detainees’ rights is also unfolding. Earlier this week, U.S. District Judge Rodolfo Ruiz dismissed part of the case after the administration designated a court to hear detainee claims. Still, Ruiz allowed arguments to proceed regarding whether detainees have access to confidential legal consultations — a concern that has already been transferred to another federal judge.

For immigration hawks, the Everglades facility represented a visible sign of Florida’s frontline role in Trump’s immigration battle. For environmentalists, the court’s ruling affirms that no political agenda overrides the ecological survival of the state’s most vital wetland.

The order also marks a setback for Gov. Ron DeSantis and state lawmakers who championed Alligator Alcatraz as a bold stand against “open-border” policies. Whether Florida appeals the decision remains uncertain, but environmental groups vowed to keep pressure on the state and federal governments.

Is Florida’s immigration crackdown now colliding head-on with its duty to protect the Everglades?

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