The federal judge issues the expansion of the expansion of “the Alligator Alcatraz” in Florida

A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction Thursday preventing Florida from further developing the Immigration Center “Alligator Alcatraz” built in the middle of the Florida Everglades.

The injunction of the American district judge Kathleen Williams offered the temporary judgment she had ordered two weeks ago.

Witnesses continued to testify over several days during a hearing to determine if the construction of the installation should stop until the case is decided.

The defenders argued that the expansion of the establishment violated environmental laws.

The proceedings threaten to upset the operations of alligator Alcatraz

In an aerial view from a helicopter, the migrant detention center, nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz”, is seen on the site of the Dade-Collier training and transition airport on July 4, 2025 in Ochopee, Florida. (Images Alon Skuy / Getty)

Environmental groups and the Miccosukee tribe said that the establishment’s construction and additional operations should be stopped until state and federal officials are satisfied with environmental laws. Their trial argued that the detention center is threatening wet areas sensitive to the environment that have protected plants and animals and that it would reverse billions of dollars of environmental catering.

Lawyers for the governments of states and federals said that the construction and exploitation of the establishment were under the state of Florida despite its use to hold federal prisoners, which means that the Federal Environmental Act would not apply.

The judge concluded that the detention center was at least a joint partnership between the State and the federal government.

Williams said it expected the number of detainees in the installation plunges within 60 days through transfers to other facilities, and that fencing, lighting and generators should be removed. She said that state and federal accused cannot bring any other than current prisoners to the property on the property.

The order does not stop the changes or repairs of existing installations, which, according to the judge, are “only in order to increase security or to mitigate environmental or other risks on the site”.

Florida to open “ deportation depot ” in prison closed weeks after the launch of the installation “Alligator Alcatraz”

An aerial view of an migrant detention center, nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz”, is seen on the site of the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in Ochopee, Florida, July 7, 2025. (Chandan Khanna / AFP via Getty Images)

The preliminary injunction includes “those in an active concert or in participation with” the state of Florida or federal defendants or their officers, agents or employees, she wrote.

State officials did not explain enough why the installation had to be in the middle of the Florida Everglades.

“What is obvious, however, is that in a hurry to build the detention camp, the state has not considered other locations,” said Williams.

Florida officials criticized the decision on Thursday.

“This week, a judge of the same district that judge Williams refused to hear a case because the southern district of Florida was the inappropriate place of prosecution on the Alligator Alcatraz,” said Jeremy Redfern, spokesperson for the Office of the Prosecutor General of Florida, in a statement to Fox News. “Once again, she exceeds her authority and we will appeal this illegal decision.”

Florida governor Ron Desantis said that “correction was in” and “we knew that this judge did not just shake us”.

“We were completely expecting an unfavorable decision,” he told Fox News. “And we also knew that we were going to appeal immediately and that this decision has remained. So we will finally succeed.

US President Donald Trump is visiting a migrant detention center, nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz”, located on the Dade-Collier training and transitional airport site in Ochopee, Florida, July 1, 2025. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP via Getty Images)

President Donald Trump visited the installation last month and suggested that it could be used as a model for future facilities across the country to support his efforts to hold and expel migrants.

The detention center was quickly built about two months ago in a single -track training airport in the middle of the Everglades. It now holds nearly 500 detainees, but was designed to finally contain up to 3,000 in temporary tents.

The large white tents of the installation have rows of bunk bed beds surrounded by chain link cages. Inmates complained of worms in food, toilet and not rinsing, flooded soils of fecal waste and insects everywhere. The air conditioners also sometimes stop suddenly in the stifling heat.

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The detainees would also have spent offspring days or would receive their prescription medication, and they are only allowed to speak to lawyers and their loved ones by phone.

Danamarie McNicholl-Cartter of Fox News and the Associated Press contributed to this report.