Govind Tekale
U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams has ordered state and federal defendants to begin winding down operations at the controversial detention site commonly called “Alligator Alcatraz” within 60 days. The preliminary injunction requires removal of temporary fencing, lighting fixtures, generators, and waste receptacles from the Everglades location.
“There was no process,” wrote Judge Williams in her 82-page order, finding that the facility was constructed without the required environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
Environmental organizations including Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity won a preliminary injunction in the lawsuit. The Miccosukee Tribe joined the suit after filing a motion to intervene. The state of Florida has filed a notice of appeal to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.
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Built on the old Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport inside Big Cypress National Preserve, the detention center sits in a federally protected wetland that serves as critical habitat for threatened species. The preserve is also a designated International Dark Sky Place, where artificial lighting can disrupt natural wildlife cycles.
“This is a landmark victory for the Everglades,” said Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglades. “It sends a clear message that environmental laws must be respected by leaders at the highest levels of our government — and there are consequences for ignoring them.”
The facility gained national attention after promotion by President Donald Trump and Governor Ron DeSantis. State officials argued the site was necessary for immigration enforcement, while environmental advocates pointed to risks posed to the fragile ecosystem.
Court documents revealed concerns about impacts to endangered species including the Florida panther, wood stork, Florida bonneted bat, and Everglade snail kite. The judge specifically noted problems with lighting, paving, and habitat disruption in the protected area. According to testimony cited in the ruling, lighting alone had reduced the habitat for the protected Florida panther by approximately 2,000 acres.
The appeal will proceed to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals while the site begins its court-ordered wind-down and dismantling under the preliminary injunction. Under the ruling, the facility cannot accept new detainees during the 60-day dismantling period.
For the Miccosukee Tribe, the ruling addresses both environmental and cultural concerns. Tribal members had raised issues about access to ancestral lands, with testimony indicating they had lost access to trails previously used for hunting and harvesting ceremonial and medicinal plants.The Order requires defendants to remove specified infrastructure within 60 days, subject to safe population attrition while the appeal proceeds. Florida officials maintain the site was necessary for immigration enforcement and have moved quickly to appeal the decision.
