Environmental groups have launched a high-stakes legal battle to halt construction of a controversial migrant detention center nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz” within Florida’s treasured Everglades ecosystem. Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit in federal court, claiming the facility violates crucial environmental protection laws. Does this legal challenge serve as an example of politically motivated opposition to immigration enforcement rather than genuine environmental concern?
Environmental Groups Take Legal Action
Two prominent environmental organizations have filed a lawsuit to block the construction of a migrant detention facility in Florida’s Everglades ecosystem. Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity submitted their legal challenge in the federal Southern District of Florida, naming Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and acting ICE director Todd Lyons as defendants.
The lawsuit centers on the facility dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” which is being established at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport within ecologically sensitive Everglades territory. Environmental advocates argue the project threatens protected wetlands and endangered species while violating multiple federal regulations, including the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Administrative Procedure Act.
Alligator Alcatraz🐊
See You Later, Alligator pic.twitter.com/Pbw6WBloZA— Popmemes by Jon 🦅 (@JonCovering) June 29, 2025
Government Officials Defend Facility
Federal authorities have dismissed the environmental concerns as politically motivated rather than scientifically sound. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin characterized the legal action as “a lazy lawsuit” that “ignores the fact that this land has already been developed for a decade.”
The detention center, costing approximately $450 million, will be reimbursed through Federal Emergency Management Agency funding but operated by Florida officials. Governor Ron DeSantis has strongly supported the facility’s development, stating it would serve as “a force multiplier” to help fulfill President Trump’s immigration enforcement objectives.
Whoa! Alligator Alcatraz is going to be complete by Tuesday and open for operation on Wednesday.
Am I the only one wondering how Ron DeSantis got this together so fast?
Floridians, make sure you remember this the next time a hurricane hits and you can’t get disaster relief in… pic.twitter.com/fS4Ooa0UzA
— Christopher Webb (@cwebbonline) June 29, 2025
Environmental Impact Concerns
Friends of the Everglades executive director Eve Samples stated, “This scheme is not only cruel, it threatens the Everglades ecosystem that state and federal taxpayers have spent billions to protect.” The lawsuit details specific environmental threats, including installation of housing units, construction of sanitation systems, industrial high-intensity lighting, diesel power generators, and alterations to natural terrain.
The facility is located in a habitat for endangered species, including the Florida panther, which environmentalists argue will face significant disruption. According to court documents, the project will “use and impair the Big Cypress National Preserve by causing direct and indirect harm to its wetlands, wildlife, and air and water quality.”
Construction activities are already underway at the site despite the lawsuit seeking an injunction to halt development until proper environmental reviews are completed. Governor DeSantis has dismissed these environmental objections, claiming opponents are “trying to use the Everglades as a pretext for the fact that they oppose immigration enforcement” rather than expressing genuine ecological concerns.
The detention facility is designed to house approximately 5,000 migrants and represents a key component in expanded deportation capabilities sought by the incoming administration. The environmental groups have requested an expedited hearing, arguing that irreversible damage to the ecosystem could occur without immediate court intervention.