Two Lawsuits Contest the Legal Validity of Florida's "Alligator Alcatraz" Project
In the heart of Florida's Everglades, the controversial "Alligator Alcatraz" detention center continues to operate amidst a storm of legal challenges. Two ongoing lawsuits, spearheaded by various civil rights groups, environmental organisations, and immigration advocates, have been filed against the facility, focusing on two primary issues: environmental concerns and inmates' rights violations.
Environmental concerns have arisen due to the detention center's construction in the Everglades without following the necessary environmental laws. Specifically, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) mandates an environmental review process, which has yet to be conducted. This has prompted lawsuits from environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe, who argue that the facility threatens sensitive wetlands home to protected plants and animals, risks reversing billions of dollars in Everglades restoration efforts, and endangers the fragile ecosystem with construction impacts like flooding and habitat destruction.
Inmates' rights issues involve multiple alleged violations, such as detainees being held for weeks without charges, barred from seeing attorneys and having difficulty accessing legal counsel, initial custody and bond determinations not being made, some detainees disappearing from ICE’s online locator system, deportations occurring, including some detainees pressured to sign voluntary removal forms without legal consultation, and the facility being operated under an unprecedented and unlawful use of the federal 287(g) program by Florida. This program does not authorize a state-run immigration jail or contracting out detention authority; Florida officers overseeing detainees lack the rigorous federal training normally required for immigration enforcement.
EarthJustice attorney Tania Galloni represents some of the plaintiffs in the environmental lawsuit. The detention center was selected due to its geographical attributes, including proximity to a large airport runway and surrounding wetlands inhabited by dangerous wildlife.
These lawsuits aim to halt further construction and operations of the facility, demand compliance with environmental laws, and secure the constitutional and legal rights of those detained at the facility. Despite the ongoing legal battles, the detention center remains operational, with Florida state officials continuing to support it as a significant step in the fight against illegal immigration. Florida Lt. Gov. Jay Collins defends the detention center, stating that Florida partners with the president and other serious individuals to get illegal immigrants out of the nation and country.
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