Federal Judge Blocks Alligator Alcatraz Expansion Over Everglades Environmental Harm

The migrant detention center known as "Alligator Alcatraz" in the Florida Everglades, operated under the Trump administration, faces significant legal challenges on both environmental and humanitarian grounds. A federal judge in the Southern District of Florida has issued a preliminary injunction blocking expansion of the facility, citing harm to the sensitive Everglades ecosystem and upholding environmental groups' claims that the site requires a federal environmental review. Concurrently, lawsuits brought by the ACLU and other advocates highlight inhumane conditions at the center, including detainees' lack of confidential access to lawyers, recent establishment of immigration court jurisdiction, and overcrowded, harsh living arrangements. The facility currently holds about 336 detainees, down from an initial 700, and has drawn criticism from activists and Democratic Congressman Maxwell Frost, who called it an internment camp disproportionately affecting Black and brown immigrants. The Trump administration and Florida officials maintain that the center meets required standards, while lawsuits continue to challenge its legality and operation. The legal battles underscore tensions between immigration enforcement policies and environmental protection efforts in a fragile ecosystem.