Federal Judge Orders Closure of Florida's Alligator Alcatraz Immigration Jail

A federal judge in Miami, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams, has ordered the closure of the Trump administration's immigration detention facility known as "Alligator Alcatraz" within 60 days, halting new detainees and construction at the site. The ruling highlights severe environmental damage to the sensitive Florida Everglades caused by the facility, which was hastily built on fragile wetlands without proper federal environmental reviews. The judge emphasized the long-standing commitment by Florida officials and political leaders to protect the Everglades and ruled that the detention site must be dismantled with all temporary infrastructure removed after the closure period. The decision is a significant legal victory for environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe, who challenged the state's claim that the facility's construction was exempt from federal environmental laws. While the facility can continue operating with existing detainees temporarily, no expansion or additional detainees are permitted. Florida officials have maintained the site's role in supporting immigration enforcement amid a national border crisis, but the court ruling curtails further state efforts to expand detention capacity there.