Wildlife at Risk?Judge Reviews Environmental Objections to ‘Alligator Alcatraz’

A U.S. federal judge is presently hearing arguments regarding the suspension of construction on an immigration detention center located within the Florida Everglades. The contentious facility, nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz,” is under scrutiny due to alleged contraventions of environmental laws.

Environmental groups, supported by the Miccosukee Tribe, urge District Judge Kathleen Williams to impose a preliminary injunction to stop operations and further construction until environmental laws are adhered to. The lawsuit asserts that the project poses a danger to the environmentally delicate wetlands, home to an array of protected flora and fauna, and could potentially undo billions of dollars’ worth of environmental restoration.

This lawsuit, one of two legal challenges against the South Florida detention center, was filed in Miami against both federal and state authorities. The center, built on a secluded airstrip owned by Miami-Dade County, has been operational for over a month. A second lawsuit argues that detainees’ constitutional rights are being infringed, citing restricted access to legal counsel, detention without charges, and the cancellation of bond hearings by a federal immigration court.

The detention facility allegedly neglected the review process mandated by the National Environmental Policy Act. The lawsuit, according to Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglades, aims to uphold the public’s right to prevent environmental harm. The organization has a long-standing history of environmental advocacy, founded in 1969 by environmentalist Marjory Stoneman Douglas.

The lawsuit posits that federal agencies should have evaluated the environmental impact of the detention facility’s construction, identified methods to mitigate the impact, and adhered to other procedural rules such as public commentary. The suit also insists that federal agencies retain authority over immigration, regardless of the detention center being built by the state of Florida.

Simultaneously, attorneys for federal and state agencies have requested that Judge Williams dismiss or transfer the injunction request, arguing that the lawsuit was filed in the incorrect jurisdiction. Moreover, Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration appears to be preparing to construct a second immigration detention center in north Florida.

As the case continues, this raises important questions about the balance between federal authority, state actions, and the preservation of our cherished natural environments.