Judge halts construction at Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ : NPR

President of President Donald Trump (second on the left), Florida Governor Ron Desantis (L), and the interior security secretary Kristi Noem (R) Tour of a migrant detention center, nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz”, located on the July 1 site.

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Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP via Getty Images

Miami – A federal judge made an order temporarily interrupting construction in an immigration center in the Everglades in Florida.

The judge said that adding lighting, paving, closing, filling and other buildings on the site was to stop while hearing a challenge to the establishment brought by environmental groups. However, immigration detention and other operations in the establishment continue as the legal process is advancing.

In a trial, the friends of the Everglades, the Center for Biological Diversity, Earthjustice and the Miccosukee tribe say that the precipitated construction of the installation – nicknamed “ Alligator Alcatraz ” by state officials – without contribution from the public or declaration of environmental impact violates federal law.

The installation, which has cage tents and cells for up to 5,000 immigration prisoners, is hosted in a mainly abandoned aerodrome located in the wetlands of the large national cypress reserve.

Lawyers from Florida and the Trump administration said that because the establishment has been built and is operated by the State, federal law does not apply. American district judge Kathleen Williams was not convinced by this argument.

In an aerial view from a helicopter, the migrant detention center, nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz”, is seen on the site of the Dade-Collier training and transition airport on July 4, 2025 in Ochopee, Florida.

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After two days of hearings, she became frustrated when she learned that the construction continued on the Florida site and lawyers refused to suspend. Judge Williams made a temporary ban prescription which prevents construction activities for the next 14 days. Immigration and other operations detentions are not affected by his order.

Environmental groups presented testimonies before the courts that the additional construction of the installation would harm the quality of the water in the Everglades and would contribute to harm the threatened Florida Panther.

Randy Kautz, an ecologist of fauna who helped write the panther recovery plan of the state, said that because of the lively lights, the increase in traffic and the human presence on the site, the Florida panthers would be pushed to at least 2,000 acres of their habitat.

There are only 120 to 230 panthers endangered in Florida. State lawyers have said that loss of habitat were a small part of the more than 3.1 million acres over which the panthers extend to Florida. However, Kautz said he would contribute to the prejudice of the Panther population.

The wetlaw ecologist Christopher Mcvoy, who helped write the plan to restore the Everglades, raised concerns with the court about 20 acres again paving asphalt on the site and the impact that this would have on the quality of water in the fragile ecosystem. The Everglades, he said, have a very low level of nutrients. The runoff containing nutrients and pollutants would have a “drastic impact” on the nearby wetlands, he said.

The bishop of Sunshine Durrell Watkins cathedral leads a prayer last Sunday near the entrance to the immigration detention center managed by the state nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz”. Religious leaders prayed for those who were detained in the establishment.

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The groups say they precipitate construction without holding hearings, taking public comments or conducting a study on the environmental impact, Florida and the Trump administration violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA.)

The prosecutor of the Ministry of Justice, Marissa Piropato, told the judge: “NEPA does not apply here because the Federal Detention Center is controlled by Florida.” Florida spends around $ 450 million to cover the cost of construction and operations of the site, but should request the reimbursement of the Trump administration.

During the hearings, judge Williams quoted the comments of officials of the Trump administration who called him an immigration and customs application establishment (ICE) and asked several times: “Who directs the show?” She suggested that the changing responsibilities of construction and operation of the detention center may have been a deliberate effort of federal officials to avoid having to comply with the NEPA.

Following the judge’s ordinance, the Seve samples with friends of the Everglades said: “We are delighted that the judge has seen the urgent need to take a break on additional construction, and we are impatient to advance our ultimate goal of protecting the ecosystem of unique and danger against damage caused by other damage caused by this mass holding center.”

A spokesperson for the Florida Attorney General, James Uthmeier, said: “The ordinance of judge Williams is wrong, and we are going to fight it.”

Temporary prohibition orders are generally not subject to the call. He will remain in place while the judge hears the request of environmental groups for a preliminary injunction to stop operations on the site. The next hearing is Tuesday.