'Alligator Alcatraz' plan lacks transparency: Environmental advocate
Share and Follow


() An organizer with a Florida conservationist group is alleging a lack of transparency from government officials over the immigration detention center dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz.”

“The federal government needs to look before it leaps, even when it’s acting in partnership with the state of Florida,” Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglades, told .

Friends of the Everglades, along with the Center for Biological Diversity, filed a lawsuit Friday against the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Florida Division of Emergency Management and Miami-Dade County. The lawsuit seeks to halt further construction at the site.

“The site is more than 96% wetlands, surrounded by Big Cypress National Preserve, and is habitat for the endangered Florida panther and other iconic species. This scheme is not only cruel, it threatens the Everglades ecosystem that state and federal taxpayers have spent billions to protect,” Samples said in a statement.

President Donald Trump visited the controversial facility Tuesday along with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. It will have heavy-duty tents and trailers to house detained immigrants. The state of Florida said it will soon have 5,000 beds in operation there.

On potential environmental damage to the Everglades, Trump said, “We’ll be gone a million years, and this land will still be here … I think it was a brilliant choice, and I think almost anybody in his or her right mind would say this was a brilliant choice.”

Samples said the campaigns rolled out by Florida politicians that announced the opening of “Alligator Alcatraz” ignored the environmental impacts.

DHS responded to the lawsuit, calling it “lazy,” and added that the group is ignoring that the land in question has been developed for years.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Feds use tear gas in Chicago neighborhood during fracas

Federal Agents Deploy Tear Gas Amid Turmoil in Chicago Neighborhood: A Closer Look

CHICAGO (WGN) Authorities detained at least three individuals following a clash between…
How Louvre burglars obtained truck-mounted lift to make off with jewels worth more than $100M

Louvre Heist: Thieves Use Truck-Mounted Lift to Steal Over $100 Million in Jewels

In a bold heist that has left Paris reeling, thieves managed to…
Dodgers provide clear reminder why they're World Series favorites

Why the Dodgers Are Dominating the World Series Odds: A Comprehensive Look

TORONTO — Following an unexpected one-day setback, the $400 million Dodgers swiftly…
A blind man was dragged and arrested by federal agents at the ICE facility in Portland, October 2025 (KOIN)

Federal Agents Escort Visually Impaired Man into Oregon ICE Facility

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Newly released video captures the intense moment when federal…
'Black Ivy League' university looks to expand into Oakland

Prestigious HBCU Eyes New Campus Expansion in Oakland

Howard University, a distinguished institution, is considering expanding its presence to Oakland,…
Shooting at an Oklahoma State University residence hall wounds at least 3 people

Incident at Pennsylvania’s Historically Black University Results in at Least 7 Injuries, Officials Report

In a distressing incident that unfolded on Saturday night, at least seven…
12-year-old Minneapolis church shooting survivor shot in head released from hospital

12-Year-Old Survivor of Minneapolis Church Shooting Discharged from Hospital After Head Injury Recovery

A 12-year-old girl, who suffered a gunshot wound to the head during…
The Blue Angels won't perform at the Sea & Sky Air Show, City of Jacksonville announces

Jacksonville Sea & Sky Air Show Faces Setback: Blue Angels’ Absence Announced

On Friday afternoon, Jacksonville officials revealed that the Blue Angels and the…