Environmental groups sue to block migrant detention center rising in Florida Everglades
By Kate Payne and Curt Anderson|The Associated Press/Report for America
June 27, 2025 at 12:44 PM EDT
TALLAHASSEE — Environmental groups filed a federal lawsuit Friday to block a migrant detention center being built on an airstrip in the heart of the Florida Everglades.
The lawsuit seeks to halt the “reckless plan” until it undergoes a stringent environmental review as required by federal law as required by federal law. There is also supposed to be a chance for public comment, according to the lawsuit filed in Miami federal court.
The lawsuit was filed by Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Florida Division of Emergency Management and Miami-Dade County.
“This plan has had none of the environmental review that’s required by federal law,” said Tania Galloni, Managing Attorney for the Florida office of Earthjustice, which represents Friends of the Everglades.
“Cruelty aside, it defies common sense to put a mass of people, vehicles, and development in one of the most significant wetlands in the world,” she said. “That’s why we’re going to court.”
“This scheme is not only cruel, it threatens the Everglades ecosystem that state and federal taxpayers have spent billions to protect,” said Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglades, in a statement.
“This massive detention center will blight one of the most iconic ecosystems in the world,” said Elise Bennett, Florida and Caribbean director and attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. “This reckless attack on the Everglades — the lifeblood of Florida — risks polluting sensitive waters and turning more endangered Florida panthers into roadkill.”
“It makes no sense to build what’s essentially a new development in the Everglades for any reason, but this reason is particularly despicable,” Bennett said.
The center dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz" by Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to begin processing people who entered the U.S. illegally as soon as next week, the governor said Friday on "Fox and Friends."
The state is plowing ahead with building a compound of heavy-duty tents, trailers and other temporary buildings at the Miami Dade County-owned airfield in the Big Cypress National Preserve, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) west of downtown Miami.
The lawsuit names several federal and state agencies as defendants.
DeSantis, speaking on Fox & Friends on Friday, said “Alligator Alcatraz’ will be up and running Tuesday to process up to 3,000 suspected undocumented immigrants.
“By Tuesday, this will be able to have intake of illegals,” DeSantis said as he walked around the facility with Fox & Friends host Steve Doocy.
As they toured the grounds, workers and construction equipment could be seen preparing the facility as an immigrant detention center.
DeSantis said up to 3,000 migrants could be housed, processed and deported from the facility, which includes a single airport runway.
Florida is home to about 50,0000 undocumented immigrants who have been ordered deported by a judge, said DeSantis, who said the facility would help the Trump administration and the Department of Homeland Security deport those individuals. He said there are about 750,000 immigrants under deportation orders nationwide.
He said the migrants would be given legal and medical care at the facility.
“It’s being done right. It’s being done by the book,” DeSantis said.
“You have to have state and locals on board … if you want to get the deportation mission done,” he said “I hope other states will follow suit.”
Additional reporting from WLRN News.
The lawsuit seeks to halt the “reckless plan” until it undergoes a stringent environmental review as required by federal law as required by federal law. There is also supposed to be a chance for public comment, according to the lawsuit filed in Miami federal court.
The lawsuit was filed by Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Florida Division of Emergency Management and Miami-Dade County.
“This plan has had none of the environmental review that’s required by federal law,” said Tania Galloni, Managing Attorney for the Florida office of Earthjustice, which represents Friends of the Everglades.
“Cruelty aside, it defies common sense to put a mass of people, vehicles, and development in one of the most significant wetlands in the world,” she said. “That’s why we’re going to court.”
“This scheme is not only cruel, it threatens the Everglades ecosystem that state and federal taxpayers have spent billions to protect,” said Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglades, in a statement.
“This massive detention center will blight one of the most iconic ecosystems in the world,” said Elise Bennett, Florida and Caribbean director and attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. “This reckless attack on the Everglades — the lifeblood of Florida — risks polluting sensitive waters and turning more endangered Florida panthers into roadkill.”
“It makes no sense to build what’s essentially a new development in the Everglades for any reason, but this reason is particularly despicable,” Bennett said.
The center dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz" by Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to begin processing people who entered the U.S. illegally as soon as next week, the governor said Friday on "Fox and Friends."
The state is plowing ahead with building a compound of heavy-duty tents, trailers and other temporary buildings at the Miami Dade County-owned airfield in the Big Cypress National Preserve, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) west of downtown Miami.
The lawsuit names several federal and state agencies as defendants.
DeSantis, speaking on Fox & Friends on Friday, said “Alligator Alcatraz’ will be up and running Tuesday to process up to 3,000 suspected undocumented immigrants.
“By Tuesday, this will be able to have intake of illegals,” DeSantis said as he walked around the facility with Fox & Friends host Steve Doocy.
As they toured the grounds, workers and construction equipment could be seen preparing the facility as an immigrant detention center.
DeSantis said up to 3,000 migrants could be housed, processed and deported from the facility, which includes a single airport runway.
Florida is home to about 50,0000 undocumented immigrants who have been ordered deported by a judge, said DeSantis, who said the facility would help the Trump administration and the Department of Homeland Security deport those individuals. He said there are about 750,000 immigrants under deportation orders nationwide.
He said the migrants would be given legal and medical care at the facility.
“It’s being done right. It’s being done by the book,” DeSantis said.
“You have to have state and locals on board … if you want to get the deportation mission done,” he said “I hope other states will follow suit.”
Additional reporting from WLRN News.