Environmental Groups Urge Court to Lift Halt on Closing 'Alligator Alcatraz'

Appellate court panel weighs federal oversight of Florida's immigration detention center in the Everglades.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 9:18pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A serene, painterly image of a lone, nondescript building surrounded by lush greenery and natural light, conveying a sense of isolation and contemplation about the environmental and political tensions surrounding the detention center.As legal battles continue over the environmental impact of an immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades, the facility remains open amid uncertainty over federal oversight.Today in Orlando

Environmental groups have asked a federal appellate court panel to lift its temporary halt on a lower court's order to close an immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades known as 'Alligator Alcatraz'. The state-run facility remains open as the appellate court considers arguments over federal control and environmental review requirements.

Why it matters

The case highlights the ongoing legal battles over immigration detention policies and the environmental impact of such facilities, especially in sensitive ecological areas like the Everglades. The outcome could set precedents around federal oversight of state-run immigration detention centers.

The details

The appellate court panel is weighing whether the federal government had enough control over the state-built detention center to require an environmental review under federal law. State officials argue the facility doesn't meet the criteria for federal oversight, while environmental groups contend immigration is a federal responsibility that triggers the review requirement.

  • In early September, the appellate court issued a temporary halt on the lower court's order to close the facility.
  • In late September, Florida was notified that FEMA had approved $608 million in federal funding for the detention center's construction and operation.

The players

Friends of the Everglades

An environmental advocacy group that is one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit against the Everglades detention center.

Center for Biological Diversity

An environmental non-profit organization that is also a plaintiff in the lawsuit against the Everglades detention center.

Jesse Panuccio

An attorney for the Florida Department of Emergency Management, arguing that federal funding and control are required for the federal environmental law to apply.

Paul Schwiep

An attorney representing the environmental groups, arguing that immigration is a federal responsibility that triggers the environmental review requirement.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“You need both. Even with funding, I don't think that would follow because they don't have federal control.”

— Jesse Panuccio, Attorney for the Florida Department of Emergency Management

“What is different about this property is that immigration is constitutionally a federal function. The state has no role.”

— Paul Schwiep, Attorney representing the environmental groups

What’s next

The appellate court panel is expected to rule on whether to lift the temporary halt on closing the Everglades detention center in the coming weeks.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tensions between state and federal control over immigration detention policies, as well as the environmental concerns around locating such facilities in sensitive ecological areas like the Florida Everglades.