A federal appeals court on Thursday blocked a lower court decision that had ordered Florida and the Trump administration to begin dismantling parts of “Alligator Alcatraz,” the disputed detention facility in the Everglades.
The ruling, decided 2-1 by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, means the facility will remain in operation while litigation over its environmental impact proceeds.
The Department of Homeland Security had already started transferring detainees away from the site last month, but Florida officials have indicated the center will ramp back up if the original court order is struck down.
In August, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams instructed Florida and federal authorities to halt expansion of the compound and to start removing fences, lighting, and power equipment within 60 days. Her decision backed environmental organizations and a Native American tribe who argued the detention camp, built in the fragile Everglades, should have gone through federal environmental review.
On Thursday, however, the appeals court suspended that directive. The panel determined that Florida and federal officials have a strong chance of proving the site does not fall under the National Environmental Policy Act, since it is operated by the state and no federal funds have yet been reimbursed for its costs.
Judge Barbara Lagoa authored the majority opinion, which was joined by Judge Elizabeth Branch. Both were nominated during Trump’s first term. Judge Adalberto Jordan, who was appointed by President Obama, dissented.
The Department of Homeland Security praised the decision, calling it a “win for the American people, the rule of law and common sense.”
“This lawsuit was never about the environmental impacts of turning a developed airport into a detention facility,” the department wrote on X. “It has and will always be about open-borders activists and judges trying to keep law enforcement from removing dangerous criminal aliens from our communities, full stop.”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also reacted on X, saying the facility remains “open for business.” He added, “The mission continues and we’re going to continue leading the way when it comes to immigration enforcement.”
Built on an abandoned runway, Alligator Alcatraz is part of a broader strategy by the Trump administration to expand detention capacity in response to a surge in ICE arrests. In several cases, Washington has worked with Florida and other Republican-led states to increase space.
Supporters argue the site provides an efficient and cost-effective way to house detainees and deters illegal immigration, while critics have raised concerns about harsh conditions inside the center.
Multiple lawsuits remain pending against Alligator Alcatraz, including one claiming detainees have limited access to legal counsel, and another challenging whether Florida has the authority to operate an immigration detention center at all.
{Matzav.com}
