Environmental Groups Sue to Stop ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Detention Center

“Alligator Alcatraz” has garnered substantial opposition from the community and now environmental groups are challenging plans to build the new immigrant detention center by filing a federal lawsuit that highlights the potential ecological harm to the Florida Everglades and criticizes the absence of public input in the project’s approval process.

Photo: friendsoftheeverglades on Instagram

Environmental organizations have filed a federal lawsuit in an effort to halt the construction of a new immigrant detention facility—referred to as “Alligator Alcatraz”—in the Florida Everglades, citing concerns about environmental harm and insufficient public involvement.

Filed on June 27 in Miami federal court by Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity, the suit requests a full environmental review and public comment period before development proceeds, in accordance with state and federal law. The plaintiffs also submitted an emergency motion seeking a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to pause construction.

Nonetheless, Florida officials are advancing the project. One business day after the lawsuit was submitted, state attorneys filed a 22-page response asking the court to dismiss the case. By July 1, construction activity was visible at the Miami-Dade County-owned airfield within Big Cypress National Preserve. Tents were erected, utilities installed, and the site was toured by several officials, including President Donald Trump, Governor Ron DeSantis, Congressman Byron Donalds, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Situated approximately 45 miles west of downtown Miami, the construction site consists of land that is more than 96% wetlands. Environmental groups warn that the project poses serious risks to the region's delicate ecosystem, including endangered species such as the Florida panther. The facility is projected to cost $450 million annually to operate. Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglades, stated in the lawsuit that the development threatens an ecosystem that has received substantial public investment for its protection. She noted the organization's founding in 1969 specifically to oppose development in this area.

Echoing those concerns, Elise Bennett of the Center for Biological Diversity described the proposed facility as a destructive presence in an iconic ecosystem, with potential consequences for water quality and wildlife. The lawsuit names several government entities as defendants, including the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Florida Division of Emergency Management. Legal representation is being provided by Earthjustice and attorney Scott Hiaasen.

Florida officials continue to support the project, framing it as part of broader federal immigration enforcement efforts. During the July 1 site visit, Governor DeSantis dismissed opposition, referring to critics as “pro-immigrant agitators.”

As court proceedings continue, the facility—nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz”—has become a focal point in a growing debate over immigration policy and environmental preservation in Florida.

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