A federal appeals court has temporarily blocked the shutdown of a controversial immigration detention center in Florida’s Everglades, known informally as “Alligator Alcatraz.” The 2-1 decision by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals allows the facility to continue operations while legal battles continue. The detention center, located at Dade-Collier Training and Transition facility within Big Cypress National Preserve, had been ordered to close by U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams on August 21. That preliminary injunction required Florida officials to transfer detainees and remove equipment by late October. The divided three-judge panel’s September 4 ruling means hundreds of detainees will remain … Continue reading Appeals Court Blocks Shutdown of Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ as Environmental Groups Vow to Continue Fight