- US court orders shutdown of Florida immigration camp over Everglades damage.
- Judge gives 60 days for removal of all detainees and structures.
- Environmental groups hail ruling as major win for conservation.
A US federal court has ordered the shutdown of a controversial immigration detention camp in Florida, commonly known as “Alligator Alcatraz.”
The decision came late Thursday, following a legal challenge by environmental groups and a Native American tribe who argued the jail posed serious threats to the Everglades ecosystem.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that district Judge, Kathleen Williams, sitting in Miami, issued the ruling, giving authorities 60 days to close the facility and remove all detainees and infrastructure. She also banned any new detainees from being brought into the camp during the shutdown process.
The jail, built rapidly in just eight days on a former airstrip inside protected wetlands, has faced harsh criticism for its conditions and alleged violations of detainees’ rights. It once housed up to 1,400 immigrants, though current figures are estimated at about 700.
In her 82-page ruling, Judge Williams described the jail as a source of “severe and irreversible harm” to the Everglades, a fragile wetland home to several endangered species. She reminded that past efforts to develop that same area had been rejected decades ago due to environmental concerns.
“Since then, every Florida governor, senator, and even presidents have pledged to protect and restore the Everglades. This order simply enforces the environmental laws created to honour those promises.”
No further construction or expansion of the jail is allowed, she ruled. All fences, generators, and equipment must be dismantled within the next two months.
The ruling is being hailed as a major victory by conservationists. Eve Samples, head of Friends of the Everglades, one of the organisations behind the lawsuit, called the judgment a turning point.
“This is a huge win for the Everglades and for all who believe this endangered landscape should be preserved, not destroyed,” she said. “It sends a strong warning that even the highest offices must obey environmental laws.”
On the other hand, the decision is seen as a blow to the Trump administration’s hardline immigration strategy. The former president praised the facility as a place for “the most dangerous people,” even though many inmates had no criminal charges.
So far, neither the Florida emergency agency, which runs the jail, nor federal immigration authorities have commented on the ruling. But during the court proceedings, state lawyers hinted at a possible appeal.
Reports indicate that hundreds of detainees were already moved out over the weekend, expecting the closure order. Meanwhile, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has announced plans to open another immigration facility in an abandoned prison near Gainesville.
