A federal judge has ordered the closure of the “Alligator Alcatraz” migrant detention center in Florida’s Everglades, citing severe environmental harm and noting the government’s failure to conduct required environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act. The facility, built in just eight days on federally owned land, houses federal immigration detainees but is operated by the state. Judge Kathleen Williams mandated relocation of detainees and dismantling of infrastructure within 60 days. Environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe successfully sued, emphasizing the violation of environmental laws. Florida has appealed, while advocates hailed the ruling as a major victory for conservation and human rights.
A federal judge has ordered that no more immigrant detainees be sent to the state’s immigration detention facility in the Florida Everglades and known as “Alligator Alcatraz.” The judge also called upon the government to begin dismantling much of the facility.
U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams of the Southern District of Florida gave both the state and federal government 60 days to move out existing detainees and to begin removing temporary fencing, lightning features, and generators, gas, sewage and other waste and receptacles installed to support the project.
In her 82-page decision, Judge Williams cited extensive harm to the Everglades caused by operation of the facility, which was built in eight days.
The state of Florida filed a notice of appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeal for the Eleventh Circuit immediately after the order was released.
Two environmental groups — Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity — filed a lawsuit in late June, shortly after the state announced that the facility was about to open, claiming the plan had not gone through any environmental review as required under federal law. They were joined in the lawsuit by the Miccosukee Tribe.
In her ruling, Judge Williams agreed, saying that under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the government was required to issue an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or conduct an Environmental Assessment (EA). “The Defendants chose not to do so,” she wrote.
“The Defendants’ decision to refrain from issuing an EIS or conducting an EA, and then building a detention camp, represents a determinative position on the matter and has adversely affected Plaintiffs’ recreational, conservational, and aesthetic interests,” she wrote in her order. “Accordingly, the Defendants’ decision not to issue an EIS or conduct an EA and then construct a detention camp qualifies as a final agency action.”
The Trump administration contended that a review under NEPA did not apply because, while the center houses federal immigration detainees, it is run by the state. State officials have said that their authority came from an agreement with the federal government.
Judge Williams strongly objected.
“Defendants essentially tell the Court that the project is purely state action because its employees (presumably) wear uniforms bearing state agency logos, and because the federal government seems to have held back on sending its reimbursement until some unidentified impediment (perhaps, this litigation) has abated,” she wrote.
“Meanwhile, the project was requested by the federal government; built with a promise of full federal funding; constructed in compliance with ICE standards; staffed by deputized ICE Task Force Officers acting under color of federal authority and at the direction and supervision of ICE officials; and exists for the sole purpose of detaining and deporting those subject to federal immigration enforcement. Detainees are brought onto the site by federal agents and deported from the site by federal agents on federally owned aircraft. In concluding the camp is a major federal action, the Court will ‘adhere to the test-tested adage: if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and looks like a duck, then it’s a duck.’”
The judge quoted President Harry S. Truman’s address during the 1947 dedication of the Everglades National Park, and noted how a proposal in 1967 to create the world’s largest jetport at the site was abandoned and the Big Cypress National Preserve was created to protect the area.
“Since that time, every Florida governor, every Florida senator, and countless local and national political figures, including presidents, have publicly pledged their unequivocal support for the restoration, conservation, and protection of the Everglades,” she wrote. “This Order does nothing more than uphold the basic requirements of legislation designed to fulfill those promises.”
‘Clear message’
The two environmental groups that filed the initial lawsuit hailed the decision on Thursday night.
“This is a landmark victory for the Everglades and countless Americans who believe this imperiled wilderness should be protected, not exploited,” 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.”
“This injunction is a huge relief for millions of people who love the Everglades,” added Elise Bennett, Florida and Caribbean director and attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. “This brutal detention center was burning a hole in the fabric of life that supports our most iconic wetland and a whole host of endangered species, from majestic Florida panthers to wizened wood storks. The judge’s order came just in time to stop it all from unraveling.”
Central Florida Democratic U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, who toured the facility for the second time on Wednesday, issued a blistering statement after Judge Williams’ order was released.
“The Everglades Immigrant Detention Center is nothing more than a state-sponsored, government-funded internment camp designed to keep Black and Brown immigrants in hellish conditions while Donald Trump pretends it makes our country safer,” he said in a written statement. “Thanks to the tireless work of Friends of the Everglades, the Center for Biological Diversity, and the Miccosukee Tribe, this inhumane facility has been ordered to halt operations. This is a major victory for justice, civil rights, and our environment.”
Judge Williams had placed a temporary restraining order pausing new construction at the detention center on Aug. 7 — including filling, paving, and installation of new infrastructure and lighting. That ruling may have already proved to DeSantis that Williams, a 2010 appointee to the federal court by President Obama, would ultimately rule the way she did.
“It’s pretty clear we’re in front of a judge who is not going to give us a fair shake on this,” he said earlier this week.
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Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Left
This content leans center-left as it highlights environmental and civil rights concerns related to a controversial immigration detention facility. It emphasizes judicial actions protecting environmental laws and immigrant rights, includes critical statements from Democratic politicians and environmental groups, and portrays the detention center negatively. The focus on environmental protection and social justice aligns with center-left perspectives, while the reporting remains factual without overtly partisan language.
SUMMARY: Two of six charged in the January deadly shooting of 7-year-old Breon Allen Jr. in Jacksonville have pleaded guilty. Tavaris Kelly, 17, and Zharod Sykes, 24, admitted to second-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and related gun charges. The shooting also seriously injured Breon’s cousin, Lafayette Mango Jr., 21. The other four defendants—Donte McGhee, Keith Fields, Dannel Larkins, and Keith Johnson—pleaded not guilty. The incident was gang-related, involving rival groups 6 block and ATK, with ongoing violent feuds. Investigators linked the suspects to the scene via cellphone data and evidence. Authorities vow to hold all accountable.
www.clickorlando.com – Sam Mednick And Wafaa Shurafa, Associated Press – 2025-08-22 04:02:00
SUMMARY: The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has declared famine in Gaza City, the largest city in the Gaza Strip, warning it could spread to other areas by next month without a ceasefire and humanitarian aid access. The famine results from Israel’s military offensive and blockade restricting food and aid, causing severe malnutrition and starvation, especially among children. Over half a million people face life-threatening hunger. Israel denies the famine, calling reports false, but aid deliveries remain insufficient. Medical staff report increasing malnourished patients, with families witnessing loved ones wasting away amid soaring food prices and limited supplies.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Esther Wickham | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-08-21 17:30:00
At an Alachua County School Board meeting in Gainesville, Florida, Crystal Marull alleged her sons were targeted for their conservative views. Her high school son was mocked by a history teacher who gave him a fake certificate naming him “Most Likely to Become a Dictator” and allowed students to call him a “Naziphile.” Marull’s younger son was allegedly separated from a friend on the bus due to political differences. The teacher apologized but Marull called it inadequate. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier demanded an investigation, stating the teacher violated laws and ethics and called for her dismissal. Public outrage and calls for accountability followed.
(The Center Square) — At an Alachua County School Board meeting in Gainesville, Florida, this week, Crystal Marull, a mother of two students, claimed school officials targeted her sons for their conservative views.
According to Marull, her high school son was mocked in class for his interest in history and participation in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps.
During a class activity, her son’s history teacher reportedly tried to give the student a fake certificate and nominated him “Most Likely to Become a Dictator.”
The teacher also “let students label him a ‘Naziphile,’” Marull added.
Her other son, who is 6 years old, was allegedly prevented from sitting next to his friend on the school bus because the friend’s parent did not like the mother’s conservative views.
“I do apologize that [your son] was offended by the Class Superlative … To my knowledge, he did not ask to be removed when he was nominated or when the class voted. When I passed them out today, I reiterated that they were just for fun. These were not meant to be offensive. I do apologize,” was the teacher’s response to Marull about the incident in the high school history class.
The apology didn’t ease Marull’s concerns.
“This is just one incident emblematic of the litany of abuses and offenses that conservative families face in this district,” Marull said in a statement. “Not only was it wholly inappropriate, the apology was hollow, and although I reported this to a school board member at the time, the board failed to follow up with any consequences.”
Marull has always been an advocate for strong conservative values, especially gender ideology and banning woke books within school libraries.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, a Republican, sent a letter Thursday to the School Board of Alachua County, asking for an investigation into the incident.
“Florida law prohibits bullying and harassment … This teacher violated Florida law, the School Board’s policy, and no less than six ethical principles. Her teacher’s certificate must be revoked,” Uthmeier wrote. “Teachers who bully and harass their own students are unworthy of the public trust. Despite this teacher’s nasty immaturity, we commend this young man for his strength in the face of rank political discrimination. Remove this teacher from the classroom. Parents and students in Alachua deserve better.”
Because of Marull’s story, many posted on social media, outraged, calling for accountability.
“It’s not enough for the teacher to be fired, though that’s a start. The teacher and Alachua School District should be sued for the intentional emotional distress of both boys,” one user commented.
The Center Square reached out to the Alachua School District but has yet to receive a response.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Right-Leaning
The article primarily reports on an incident involving a conservative mother alleging mistreatment of her sons by a school teacher, along with the response from a Republican state official. While it presents factual details and quotes from involved parties, the framing emphasizes the conservative perspective and highlights criticism of the teacher and school district from a right-leaning viewpoint. The language used, such as describing the teacher’s actions as “bullying” and “rank political discrimination,” and the inclusion of strong condemnations from a Republican Attorney General, suggests a sympathetic tone toward conservative concerns. Thus, the article leans right by focusing on conservative grievances and portraying them as victims of ideological bias, rather than maintaining a fully neutral stance.
