Justice Department attorneys argue against a temporary restraining order, clashing with conservation groups who say the Everglades detention center threatens a delicate ecosystem.
Environmental organizations, including Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity, have filed a lawsuit and sought a temporary restraining order to halt the operation of a new immigrant detention center, dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” situated within the Everglades.
The facility, built at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, began receiving its first detainees last week. RELATED: Florida Welcomes First Group Of Illegal Immigrants To “Alligator Alcatraz”
The lawsuit alleges that federal and state agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Florida Division of Emergency Management, violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) by proceeding with construction without required environmental impact assessments and public input.
Environmentalists argue the facility poses a significant threat to the surrounding Everglades and Big Cypress National Preserve, impacting wetlands, wildlife (including endangered species like the Florida panther), and water quality.
READ: Voluntary Departure Or Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz”: ICE’s Dual Immigration Approach Revealed
In response, the Trump administration and Florida officials are opposing the request to block the center’s operation. U.S. Department of Justice attorneys filed a document arguing that Florida is primarily responsible for the project, funding and operating it with state funds and under state emergency authority. They claim there has been no “final federal agency action” as required by the Administrative Procedure Act, attempting to distance DHS from direct involvement in the facility’s construction.
Despite these arguments, the state has indicated it will seek federal reimbursement for the center’s costs. Both state and federal attorneys contend that the environmental groups have not demonstrated “irreparable” harm to the environment and emphasize the “significant national interest” in combating illegal immigration.
READ: Florida Rep. Byron Donalds Touts “Alligator Alcatraz”: A Blueprint For Border Control?
The detention center’s rapid construction, which was touted by President Donald Trump, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, and Governor Ron DeSantis at the site early last week, has drawn national attention. Opponents, including human rights advocates and Native American tribes, also criticize the facility’s location and conditions as inhumane.
The lawsuit names Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons, and Miami-Dade County as defendants.
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