Posted on 08/23/2025 2:19:18 PM PDT by Twotone
An Obama judge issued an injunction on Thursday ordering Florida not only to halt the arrival of new detainees to Alligator Alcatraz but to begin dismantling the facility.
The Sunshine State isn't rolling over, and Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis' office indicated that President Donald Trump's deportation campaign will continue as planned. Quick background
After DeSantis tasked state leaders with identifying places for a new detention facility to temporarily house outbound criminal noncitizens, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier made a public pitch in favor of "Alligator Alcatraz" — "an old, virtually abandoned airport facility" in the Everglades that could serve as "the one-stop shop to carry out President Trump's mass deportation agenda."
Uthmeier got his way, confirming in June that the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport would indeed become home to America's first state-run facility for federal immigration detainees — a facility that the Department of Homeland Security told Blaze News would ultimately house up to 5,000 beds for illegal aliens in soft and hardened structures.
Within weeks, the airport's 10,499-foot runway was crowded with tents and unsavory characters set for deportation.
As with virtually all effective initiatives related to the detention and deportation of criminal noncitizens, Alligator Alcatraz's development was challenged by liberal activists.
One of the legal efforts to shut down the camp was launched on June 27 by two environmental groups, Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity.
According to the plaintiffs, Alligator Alcatraz was being operated in violation of the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires environmental review processes in cases of federal actions that significantly impact the environment — processes the environmentalists claim had not been undertaken.
Florida Division of Emergency Management Deputy Director Keith Pruett pointed out that the environmentalists' concerns were overblown and that the airport was already active, permanently lit — one of the environmentalists concern-mongered about possible light pollution — and home to existing buildings.
The lawsuit further alleged that Florida's involvement in the project through the Florida Division of Emergency Management exceeded the agency's authority and that Miami-Dade County unlawfully permitted the use of the airport as a detention facility.
Obama judge weighs in
U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams made clear in her 82-page order on Thursday that she was persuaded neither by the Trump administration's argument that "the significant national interest in combating unlawful immigration favors allowing Florida to continue the development and use of [the detention camp]" nor by Florida's assertion that the facility was necessary because other facilities are at capacity.
Williams, an Obama appointee, suggested that the perceived need for Alligator Alcatraz "fails to explicate the decision to place the detention camp in the Everglades."
Having ordered a temporary pause weeks earlier, Williams formally barred both the Trump administration and state officials from installing any additional lighting at the facility; undertaking any expansion efforts, including erecting additional tents or buildings; and bringing any new detainees to the site.
Her order allows, however, for modification or repairs to existing facilities if executed for the sole purpose of "increasing safety or mitigating environmental or other risks at the site."
The Obama judge further ordered Florida and the Trump administration to dismantle the temporary fencing, lighting fixtures, generators, and waste receptacles installed to support the project within 60 days.
"Every Florida governor, every Florida senator, and countless local and national political figures, including presidents, have publicly pledged their unequivocal support for the restoration, conservation, and protection of the Everglades," wrote Williams. "This Order does nothing more than uphold the basic requirements of legislation designed to fulfill those promises."
Friends of the Everglades celebrated the ruling.
Eve Samples, executive director of the group, stated, "This decision sends a clear message that environmental laws must be respected by leaders at the highest levels of our government — and there are consequences for ignoring them."
Florida fights back
DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to Blaze News, "This ruling from an activist judge ignores the fact that this land has already been developed for a decade. It is another attempt to prevent the president from fulfilling the American people’s mandate to remove the worst of the worst, including gang members, murderers, pedophiles, terrorists, and rapists, from our country."
"This activist judge doesn’t care about the invasion of our country facilitated by the Biden administration, but the American people do," continued McLaughlin. "We have the law, the facts, and common sense on our side.”
Florida has appealed the order to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
DeSantis told Fox News he knew the "fix was in" and that Williams "was not giving us a fair shake."
"We totally expected an adverse ruling," said DeSantis. "And we also knew we were going to immediately appeal and get that decision stayed. So we will ultimately be successful in this. It's not going to stop our resolve. We're going to continue to do what we need to do to help the Trump administration remove illegal aliens from our country. You know, that's the mandate that they have. So we anticipated this, but I don't think it's going to be insurmountable in the end."
Blaze News has reached out to DeSantis' office for further comment.
While the fate of Alligator Alcatraz is up in the air, DeSantis' office made clear that there's no slowing down the deportation train.
Alex Lanfranconi, DeSantis' communications director, noted, "The deportations will continue until morale improves."
“the fate of Alligator Alcatraz is up in the air, ”
Uh. I didn’t t think so.
Give ‘em the finger, Governor DeSantis! MAGA!
Have the environmentalists pointed out that the presence of the criminals may be giving the alligators nightmares?
The black robed tyrant made her ruling. Now let her enforce it.
Finally they are saying no. Who are these federal judges that can just denounce anything they don’t like. Whatever happened to the balance of powers in iur 3 branches?
Maybe she can go down there personally to lock the doors and arrest Desantis.
Let the illegals sit in the sun, and enjoy the mosquitoes. Who needs walls and a ceiling?
The response of course is the crimiggrants can provide alligators some bulk nutrition
De Santis should cede the facility to the US military: no environmental lawsuits & clear Presidential control.
Having criminals illegally in the country causes a crime pollution in the country’s environment.
DeSantis should throw the Leftist Playbook back at them. Starting with the “Environmental Effect” that tearing down the Alligator Alcatraz would have on the “Very Sensitive” swamp environment.
Sounds to me like it will take a 1000 Environmental Impact Report, which will take years to prepare.
Bummer.
The Left wants to destroy everything and us dead.
Tell these woke liberal judges to go pound sand.
If Trumps ignores this ruling then the rats will find a way to impeach. If DeSantis does it makes it a state issue.
Fine, I say find a judge and have him rule the entire state of California reds to be dismantled. You know, for environmental reasons.
Unsavory characters
Pelosi, Schumer, Ocrazio-Cortex, Billary, Billy Jeff, Newscum
One can dream
Why should Rod Blagovich be the only dem who goes to jail? Letitia James and this Kathleen Williams can share a cell to sabe on utilities and security camera footage.
National Environmental Policy Act requires environmental review processes in cases of federal actions that significantly impact the environment — processes environmentalists claim have not been undertaken.
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Do these clowns even hear themselves? Why do they seem so concerned about the “environment” now, at an unused airport?
Why aren’t they concerned about 40 or 50 million (whatever the number is) illegal aliens pouring across the borders and the impact on water, sewage, roads, hospitals, schools, pollution, urbanization, electricity demands etc etc??
They are either SUPER stupid, or think we are.
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