FORT MYERS, Fla. – In an effort to resolve ongoing legal disputes, a federal judge in Florida has called on civil rights lawyers, alongside attorneys for both the U.S. government and the state of Florida, to convene next month. The focus of the talks is a lawsuit concerning whether detainees at a notorious immigration center, dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” in the Everglades, are being afforded proper access to legal counsel.

During a status hearing on Monday, U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell announced plans for a conference scheduled for December 16-17 in her Fort Myers courtroom.

“I believe we have made progress on several points since we last convened,” remarked Judge Chappell. “I am optimistic that both parties can engage in discussions leading to reasonable agreements that will not unduly burden the defendants while ensuring the plaintiffs’ rights are upheld.”

Lawyers representing the center’s detainees are seeking a preliminary injunction to facilitate more accessible communication between their clients and legal representatives. This detention facility, constructed last summer at a secluded location in the Everglades, was established under the administration of Republican Governor Ron DeSantis.

Eunice Cho, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union, highlighted the challenges attorneys face, noting that visits require appointments to be made three days in advance, a stark contrast to other facilities where legal counsel can visit during standard hours. She emphasized that detainees are often relocated to different facilities after appointments are scheduled, and lengthy delays have hindered timely legal consultations, affecting the detainees’ ability to meet critical deadlines.

Nicholas J.P. Meros, an attorney for the state, said most of the concerns initially raised by the detainees and their attorneys have been addressed and that previous delays were due to trying to construct a facility for thousands of detainees in a remote area with little infrastructure.

The lawsuit is one of three federal cases. In an environmental lawsuit, a federal appellate court panel in September allowed the center to continue operating by putting on hold a lower court’s preliminary injunction ordering it to wind down by the end of October.

A third lawsuit claims immigration is a federal issue and that Florida agencies and private contractors hired by the state have no authority to operate the facility.

President Donald Trump toured the facility in July and suggested it could be a model for future lockups nationwide as his administration pushes to expand the infrastructure needed to increase deportations. While the facility was built and operated by the state and its private contractors, federal officials have approved reimbursing Florida for $608 million.