A federal judge in Miami has ordered the partial shutdown of the controversial immigration detention facility known as “Alligator Alcatraz.”
U.S. District Judge Kathleen M. Williams issued an 82-page ruling late Thursday evening, granting a preliminary injunction that prohibits Florida and federal officials from bringing any new detainees to the facility and requires the dismantling of key infrastructure within 60 days.
The ruling specifically prohibits defendants from installing additional industrial-style lighting, conducting any paving, filling, excavating, or fencing, and bringing any additional persons to the site who were not already detained when the order took effect. The court also mandated that within 60 days, officials must remove “all generators, gas, sewage, and other waste and waste receptacles that were installed to support this project.”
Judge Williams determined that the state of Florida and the Department of Homeland Security violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) by failing to conduct required environmental impact assessments before constructing the detention center in the environmentally sensitive Everglades.
The facility, located at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport within Big Cypress National Preserve, was constructed in just eight days in June 2025. Judge Williams found that this rapid construction circumvented federal environmental review requirements, noting that defendants “cannot put the cart before the horse — they cannot construct a facility and, then only in response to litigation such as the instant case, decide to fulfill their legal obligations.”
The court cited expert testimony indicating the facility caused significant environmental damage, including:
- Loss of 2,000 acres of habitat for the critically endangered Florida panther due to industrial lighting
- Installation of 800,000 square feet of new paving that increases harmful runoff into sensitive wetlands
- Light pollution affecting the Big Cypress National Preserve’s International Dark Sky Park designation
- Threats to endangered species including the Florida bonneted bat and wood stork.
The ruling also addressed concerns raised by the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians, who joined the lawsuit as plaintiffs. The court ordered the removal of temporary fencing to restore tribal members’ access to traditional hunting and gathering areas that had been blocked by the detention facility.
While the court allowed the facility to continue operating temporarily with existing detainees, the infrastructure removal requirements raise questions about long-term viability.
The state of Florida has already filed an appeal to Judge Williams’ decision, with plaintiffs expecting requests for a legal stay on her order. Environmental groups and tribal representatives said they are prepared to fight the case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary.
The Alligator Alcatraz facility was designed to hold up to 5,000 migrants and serve as a model for similar detention centers as part of President Trump’s expanded immigration enforcement campaign.
A second facility, “Deportation Depot,” in Florida announced by Gov. DeSantis in August 2025, located at Baker Correctional Institution in Sanderson, about 43 miles west of Jacksonville. This facility could hold as many as 2,000 people.
Nebraska has announced the “Cornhusker Clink” in southwestern Nebraska to hold 280 people. Another 600 will be detained in Tennessee and the “Speedway Slammer” will detain 1,000 people.
According to internal ICE documents obtained by The Washington Post, the administration plans to
- Double detention capacity from ~50,000 to over 107,000 beds by January 2026
- Expand to 125 facilities within the year
- and add detention facilities in North Carolina, Minnesota, Oklahoma
According to multiple sources, conditions inside the facility are described as harsh and problematic:
- Detainees are housed in makeshift tents and cages
- Extreme heat exposure with temperatures reaching near 100 degrees Fahrenheit
- Overcrowding with cages reportedly holding 30 or more individuals
- Insect problems including mosquitoes and bug infestations
- Surrounded by dangerous wildlife including snakes, alligators, and pythons
- Food issues: Minimal and sometimes contaminated food reported
- Sanitation problems: Overflowing toilets and unsanitary conditions
- Medical care: Lack of adequate medical attention
