Environmental Groups Sue to Block "Alligator Alcatraz" Migrant Detention Center in Florida Everglades Amid Tribal Opposition

Environmental groups have filed a federal lawsuit to block the construction of a migrant detention center in the Florida Everglades, known colloquially as "Alligator Alcatraz." The facility is being built on an airstrip in the heart of the Everglades, and the lawsuit argues that the state ignored required ecological reviews. The detention center has drawn opposition not only from environmental organizations but also from the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, and the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, all of whom have denounced the project. Critics contend that the center is driving out wildlife and damaging the Everglades ecosystem. The state and the Department of Homeland Security are preparing to open the facility, while attorneys for Florida have urged a judge to reject the environmental groups' attempt to halt construction. The controversy highlights concerns about ecological and legal oversight in the development of the detention center within a sensitive and protected natural area.