Friends of the Everglades

Environmentalists and immigrant-rights advocates demand an independent investigation into the environmental damage caused by Florida’s recently closed Alligator Alcatraz migrant detention center. The demand was made by groups including Friends of the Everglades and the Miccosukee Tribe, with the facility’s 12-month operation criticized as a waste of taxpayer dollars and an abuse of the Everglades.

ICE has relocated detainees from the 'Alligator Alcatraz' facility in the Everglades, citing hurricane season safety concerns, but advocacy groups dispute this explanation, alleging a lack of transparency and ongoing operations. Environmental organizations, including Friends of the Everglades, continue legal challenges against the facility, arguing it violates environmental laws, though a court previously ruled it exempt from federal regulations.

Florida is failing to meet pollution cleanup deadlines for the Everglades, as manmade Stormwater Treatment Areas (STAs) are not effectively reducing phosphorus levels. The state's data shows a decline in pollution cleanup, with the STAs underperforming despite decades of pledges to restore water quality.

An appeals court ruled that Florida's 'Alligator Alcatraz' immigration detention center can remain open, rejecting a push for a federal environmental impact review. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals held that the state-run facility is not subject to federal law because it was built and controlled by Florida officials, though a dissent argued federal authority over immigration necessitates oversight.