Federal appellate judges overturn lower court order, allowing controversial Everglades migrant facility to remain open without environmental review.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A federal appeals court has ruled that a migrant detention facility in the Florida Everglades, commonly referred to as “Alligator Alcatraz,” can continue operating, reversing a prior decision that had halted its expansion and use.
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals determined that the state-run site does not require a federal environmental review, siding with Florida officials and rejecting claims brought by environmental and tribal groups. According to a Washington Examiner report, the court concluded that the project falls under state authority rather than federal jurisdiction.
The detention center, formally known as the South Florida Detention Facility, was constructed by Florida on state-owned land at an airstrip roughly 45 miles west of Miami. Designed to house thousands of individuals detained for immigration-related reasons, the site is located within a remote region of wetlands populated by wildlife including alligators and pythons.
Legal challenges had argued that the facility should be shut down due to concerns over environmental impact, land use, and conditions for detainees. Plaintiffs—including Friends of the Everglades, the Center for Biological Diversity, and the Miccosukee Tribe—maintained that federal law required a full environmental assessment before construction and operation.
In late 2025, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams ordered work on the site halted and barred the transfer of detainees, citing those concerns. That ruling was later paused while the case proceeded through the appeals process.
The appellate court, in a 2-1 decision, found that because Florida independently financed, built, and manages the facility, federal environmental review requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act did not apply. Judges noted that the only federal involvement identified was the absence of such a review, which they said does not constitute a final agency action subject to legal challenge.
State and federal officials had argued during the appeal that Florida maintained full control over the project, reinforcing their position that federal oversight requirements were not triggered.
With the appeals court decision, the earlier order mandating closure of the facility is no longer in effect. However, the plaintiffs indicated they intend to continue pursuing legal options.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis responded to the ruling in a post on X, stating that it represented another instance of a lower court decision being overturned on appeal.