A federal judge in Miami has ordered the state of Florida to dismantle the "Alligator Alcatraz" immigrant detention facility in the Florida Everglades within 60 days, citing severe and irreparable environmental harm. This ruling, a significant victory for environmentalists and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians, prohibits further expansion and mandates the removal of specific infrastructure. The facility, built on the site of a thwarted 1960s jetport, was fast-tracked without required environmental assessments, leading to habitat loss, increased mortality for endangered species, and disruption to a federally protected ecosystem. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the Trump administration have vowed to appeal the decision, maintaining the facility's minimal environmental impact. The ruling highlights a recurring conflict between development and environmental preservation in the Big Cypress region, emphasizing the importance of environmental laws like NEPA, CWA, and ESA.

Order to Dismantle: U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams has ordered Florida to clear out the "Alligator Alcatraz" facility within 60 days. This includes the removal of fencing, lighting, generators, and waste receptacles.

Irreparable Harm: Judge Williams cited expert testimony that the project "creates irreparable harm in the form of habitat loss and increased mortality to endangered species in the area" (Washington Post).

• Lack of Environmental Assessment: A key finding was that an environmental assessment was required before the site was erected, but "the Defendants chose not to do so." Williams stated there was "no process" for evaluating environmental risks (Washington Post, Axios Miami).
• Protected Species Threatened: The facility is located on federally protected land critical for several endangered species, including:
• Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi): The project is in the Primary Zone of the Panther Focus Area, with four known panther dens within 12 km. New lighting alone has reduced panther habitat by 2,000 acres (Washington Post, The Wildlife Society, Axios Miami).
• Everglade snail kite, wood storks (Washington Post).
• Habitat Destruction and Fragmentation:Paving over at least 20 adjacent acres of wetlands (Washington Post).
• Installation of approximately 28,000 feet of barbed wire fencing, which "fragments habitats and acts as barriers to wildlife movement" (The Wildlife Society).
• Light Pollution: The site is a designated International Dark Sky Park, but industrial, stadium-style lights are on 24/7, visible from over 15 miles away, disrupting nocturnal species (The Wildlife Society, Washington Post).
• Water Contamination and Pollution:Concerns about runoff and wastewater discharge harming the Everglades (Axios Miami).
• Drinking and bathing water is trucked in, and sewage, trash, and wastewater trucked out (Washington Post).

3. Location and Historical Context

• Big Cypress National Preserve: The facility is located deep within Big Cypress National Preserve, near the border with Everglades National Park (Washington Post, The Wildlife Society, Sierra Club).
• Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport (TNT): The detention center repurposes an old airstrip, which was originally part of a 1960s plan for the "world's largest airport" – the Miami Jetport (Washington Post, Axios Miami, The Wildlife Society).