TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Democratic lawmakers have filed a lawsuit after being denied entry to Alligator Alcatraz.

On Wednesday, the state invited all Florida legislators to tour the new immigration detention center near the Everglades. However, the lawmakers say it was unlawful to turn them away from the facility last week.

Governor DeSantis fired back during an interview with Fox News.

“What we’re not going to do is provide them with a platform to virtue signal and have some politicized photo opp,” DeSantis said.

State Representative Michele Rayner from Pinellas County is among the legislators turned away from the center last week. Shortly after, she explained, “We were not allowed in. We were told there were safety concerns. When pressed on those safety concerns, we were ultimately hung up on by the general counsel for the Florida Department of Emergency Management.”

DeSantis said the facility will be reimbursed by federal funding.

According to the lawsuit, the center was funded by $450 million in state taxpayer dollars, and it’s not reimbursable by the federal government.

The suit claims, per Florida statutes, legislators are entitled to conduct unannounced visits to Alligator Alcatraz or any state or local detention center.

“There is statutory authority for us to be able to pop up at detention centers, municipal jails, and prisons unannounced and be able to inspect them,” Rayner said.

The governor’s office sent News Channel 8 the following statement addressing the lawsuit:

Yesterday, the Florida Division of Emergency Management invited all Florida legislators to tour Alligator Alcatraz this weekend. Today, five Democrat legislators responded by filing a frivolous lawsuit demanding access to Alligator Alcatraz. The State is looking forward to quickly dispensing with this dumb lawsuit.

According to lawmakers, they will attend this weekend’s visit to the facility. They plan to return for an unannounced visit in the future.