Two environmental organizations have filed a last-minute federal lawsuit in Miami’s Southern District to block construction of the “Alligator Alcatraz” migrant detention center in Florida’s Everglades. The lawsuit alleges the state bypassed mandatory environmental reviews and public input, threatening endangered species and fragile wetlands.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis invoked emergency powers to seize the Dade‑Collier Training and Transition Airport—located within the Big Cypress National Preserve—and began construction earlier this month. The facility, defunding conventional high-security walls in favor of natural barriers like alligators and pythons, is expected to detain up to 5,000 ICE migrants when operations commence in July.
The legal filing, brought by Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity, contends the project violates key federal and state environmental protections, including the National Environmental Policy Act and Endangered Species Act. The complaint argues that the rapid construction threatens critical habitats for species like the Florida panther and undermines decades of taxpayer-funded conservation efforts. The plaintiffs seek to halt all activity at the site until environmental impact studies and public comment periods are completed.
In response, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin dismissed the lawsuit as a “lazy lawsuit,” arguing the land had already been developed over the past decade. Governor DeSantis echoed this defiance, stating the Everglades provide a “natural perimeter” that secures the site more effectively than traditional walls. Additionally, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem praised the state’s initiative, aligning it with former President Trump’s hardline immigration stance.
On June 28, protesters comprised of environmentalists, tribal members of the Miccosukee Tribe, and immigrant rights advocates demonstrated near U.S. 41, voicing opposition to the site’s location on ancestral and ecologically sensitive land. The Miccosukee Tribe and Miami-Dade County officials also oppose the plan, citing both cultural and environmental concerns.
Defenders of “Alligator Alcatraz” say the site addresses urgent needs faced by ICE and federal deportation efforts, with an estimated $450 million in annual FEMA reimbursements and taxpayer funding supporting the project. DeSantis frames the facility as a crucial “force multiplier” for enforcing immigration policy.
This legal clash is now before a federal judge, who must decide whether construction can proceed or must be paused pending environmental review. The outcome will influence both federal immigration enforcement and environmental oversight powers. As of June 29, 2025, no court hearing has been scheduled.
