August 21, 2025, Judge Kathleen M. Williams of the Federal District Court in Miami acknowledged that the federal government who is responsible for the creation of the immigration center in the Florida Everglades, commonly known as Alligator Alcatraz, has violated federal law regarding the National Environmental Policy Act.
The camp failed to follow the requirement of an environmental review before any major federal construction product, as the entire facility was built and running within eight days.
“The project creates irreparable harm in the form of habitat loss and increased morality to endangered species in the area,” the judge is cited in The New York Times.
After expressing disapproval with the federal government’s lack of attempt to consider potential environmental harms before constructing the facility, a preliminary injunction was ordered–which prevents either parties from doing anything to upset the status quo [environmentally] until the court can give the parties proper direction. The order was desired mainly by environmentalists and the Miccosukee Tribe who reside in the area and worry about the environmental impact. Additionally, allegations have surfaced of maggots in food, unclean water, and worsening conditions for detainees at the facility itself.
The order prohibits any further construction in the area and gives both branches of government 60 days for the camp to be dismantled.
Lawyers for the Miccosukee Tribe argued the government did not honor tribal rights when failing to communicate with tribal leaders who live and hunt near the Alligator Alcatraz facility. Scientists, alongside the judge, said the camp served as an overall negative impact on the Everglades.
The state of Florida immediately filed a notice intending to appeal the order alongside the Trump administration, arguing the act under which the order was arranged, does not apply because ‘the camp is run by the state while it houses federal immigrant detainees’ in an attempt to disprove the need for a Federal environmental inspection.
Gov. Ron DeSantis expresses the Federal government agreed to delegate partial authority of Alligator Alcatraz to the state of Florida.
Dave Kerner, Executive Director of the Florida Dept. of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, testified the facility was “absolutely state run”.
Santiago Fuentes, Assistant Director of Field Operations at the Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Miami, wrote, “Florida has complete discretion on deciding who is detained at the Everglades Facility.”
The order is meant to uphold the law and enforce it; it is unknown when the final ruling will be, but the camp is set to be completely dismantled by late October.
