A U.S. appeals court has allowed Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ migrant detention center to remain open and receive new inmates, after overturning a court order that ordered its closure for a brief period last August following an environmental lawsuit.
The court affirmed that the environmental groups and the Miccosukee tribe failed to prove that the site was under federal control, and that it was therefore not necessary for ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ to undergo an environmental assessment test.
Legal battle for “Alligator Alcatraz”.
Appeals court rules ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ can stay open, rejecting push for federal environmental impact review https://t.co/fMhW0qWnl8
– FOX 13 Tampa Bay (@FOX13News) April 22, 2026
The plaintiffs asked the court this month to restore a court ruling that ordered the detention center closed in August.
Located west of Miami, it has been blocked since the following month.
According to environmental groups, the center should have undergone an environmental impact analysis prior to construction in the heart of the Everglades.
An area of dense vegetation and full of wetlands with dozens of endemic species, according to federal legislation.
But the judges indicated that this was only a requirement if it was under federal jurisdiction.
Arguing that ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ was financed with state money.
He ruled that Florida District Judge Kathleen Williams had overstepped her authority by ordering its temporary closure.
Florida’s governor, Republican Ron DeSantis, has always maintained that the funds for the construction and operation of the center, which was erected in a rush last July, came from state funds.
(Filed under: Alligator Alcatraz continues to operate)
They denounce opacity at the site
🔥Around the Fire🔥 The Appeals Court ruled that ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ is open for business rejecting push for federal environmental impact review and defeating the ‘woke’ judge.https://t.co/4Eyze1o8hS
– 🇺🇸Scott Beemer🇺🇸 (@RealBeemster) April 22, 2026
The plaintiffs also denounced the opacity of the site, whose official number of detainees is unknown.
Eve Samples, executive director of the Friends of the Everglades, one of the plaintiffs, said after the court’s decision that they will continue their fight.
Reaffirming that the prison should have undergone an environmental assessment test.
“We are exploring all available legal avenues to correct this injustice.”
“‘Alligator Alcatraz’ will go down in history as a boondoggle for taxpayers and a blatant attack on the Everglades.”
“We hope to go back to the District Court to push our case and get it closed,” he said in statements picked up by local media.
(Filed under: Alligator Alcatraz continues to operate)
With information from EFE
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