US Judge Upholds Shutdown of Florida's $218M Everglades Detention Center

Florida's immigration detention center known as "Alligator Alcatraz," built on a remote training airport in the Everglades, is facing indefinite shutdown following a federal judge's order due to the state's failure to conduct a required environmental review. The facility, which cost Florida taxpayers approximately $218 million to convert and over $405 million in contracts to build and operate, is being emptied as legal challenges mount. Shutting down the center will cost the state an immediate $15 million to $30 million, with additional costs if the site is reopened. President Donald Trump toured the facility and promoted it as a model for future detention centers amid efforts to expand deportation infrastructure, despite reports of unsanitary conditions and limited detainee access to legal systems. Environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe successfully challenged the center's operation due to its location in sensitive wetlands, and the judge ruled that pausing the center's operations would not hinder federal immigration enforcement goals. This closure has sparked political controversy, with critics calling the project a costly political show that wasted taxpayer money.