Environmentalists argue that the recent closure of the South Florida detention center known as “Alligator Alcatraz” has not resolved its environmental risks, claiming instead that the removal process has further damaged the Everglades.
Demobilization continues to disrupt the ecosystem
Even though Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis announced the center’s closing in June, the Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity filed an amended complaint on Monday. The groups allege that past and ongoing demobilization of the facility has caused further environmental harm to the Greater Everglades and the Big Cypress National Preserve. As of July 14, 2026, the groups claim large trucks and machinery have been observed moving on and off site. Heavy equipment on paved areas was emitting clouds of particulate matter without visible attempts at mitigation or containment. This raises urgent concerns about unpermitted and undocumented alterations to the ecologically sensitive site.
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Large piles of asphalt and debris remain on site. Loose aggregate material has been spread, piled, and moved around the area. By August 19, 2026, the groups noted that 20 acres of new pavement over previously permeable land remained. Other features added for the detention center, such as trenches and rebar, were also still present. The filing states that ongoing degradation and other activities at the site have negatively affected federally protected species. Most notably, the Florida panther and the Florida bonneted bat have been impacted by the ongoing disturbance.
Legal battle over jurisdiction and construction
Heavy machinery, noise, and intense human activity continue to threaten the endangered Florida panther. The groups wrote that these factors cause the animals to avoid essential primary zones and breeding habitat they previously used for their survival and recovery. Fencing surrounding the site remains, including razor-wire and barbed-wire fencing. Electrical equipment anchored to cement pads for the operation of automatic gates is still in place. The groups claim that removing these structures requires excavation, soil disturbance, and runoff into surrounding wetlands, which can cause habitat degradation if not properly mitigated and contained.
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Friends of the Everglades, the Center for Biological Diversity, and the Miccosukee Tribe of Florida first sued on June 27, 2025, over the detention center being built without any environmental review. A federal judge sided with the environmentalists, prompting the state to appeal twice to the 11th Circuit. In a pair of rulings, the appeals court found that state officials unilaterally controlled the detention center. This ruling barred claims that the site violates federal environmental laws, allowing the facility to continue operating while the suit was pending in Miami federal court. The groups stand by their argument that consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was required under the Endangered Species Act before construction began. They also contend that the Florida Division of Emergency Management lacks lawful authority to construct and operate a detention center to house immigrants. The lawsuit seeks an order enjoining the government from renewed development or using the area for purposes related to a mass detention center or any other unauthorized use.
The legal team contends that the Florida Division of Emergency Management lacks lawful authority to construct and operate a detention center to house immigrants. A federal judge sided with the environmentalists, prompting the state to appeal twice to the 11th Circuit. In a pair of rulings, the appeals court found that state officials unilaterally controlled the detention center. This ruling barred claims that the site violates federal environmental laws, allowing the facility to continue operating while the suit was pending in Miami federal court.
