Federal decide points ruling blocking enlargement of Florida's Alligator Alcatraz

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A federal decide issued a preliminary injunction on Thursday blocking Florida from additional increasing the "Alligator Alcatraz" immigration detention middle constructed in the course of the Florida Everglades.

U.S. District Decide Kathleen Williams' injunction formalized the non permanent halt she had ordered two weeks in the past.

Witnesses continued to testify over a number of days in a listening to to find out whether or not development of the ability ought to cease till the case is set.

<source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/08/672/378/federal-judge-halts-alligator-alcatraz-fox-news-001.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/08/1344/756/federal-judge-halts-alligator-alcatraz-fox-news-001.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/08/931/523/federal-judge-halts-alligator-alcatraz-fox-news-001.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/08/1862/1046/federal-judge-halts-alligator-alcatraz-fox-news-001.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"> In an aerial view from a helicopter, the migrant detention middle, dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz," is seen situated on the website of the Dade-Collier Coaching and Transition Airport on July 4, 2025 in Ochopee, Florida. (Alon Skuy/Getty Pictures)

Advocates have argued that the enlargement of the ability violated environmental legal guidelines.

Williams mentioned she anticipated the variety of detainees within the facility to dip inside 60 days by means of transfers to different amenities, and that fencing, lighting and mills ought to then be eliminated. She mentioned the state and federal defendants can't convey anybody apart from present detainees on the facility onto the property.

The order doesn't halt modifications or repairs to present amenities, which the decide mentioned are "solely for the aim of accelerating security or mitigating environmental or different dangers on the website."

An aerial view of a migrant detention middle, dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz," is seen situated on the website of the Dade-Collier Coaching and Transition Airport in Ochopee, Florida on July 7, 2025. (Chandan Khanna/AFP by way of Getty Pictures)

The preliminary injunction contains "those that are in energetic live performance or participation with" the state of Florida or federal defendants or their officers, brokers or workers, she wrote.

State officers didn't sufficiently clarify why the ability wanted to be in the course of the Florida Everglades.

"What is clear, nonetheless, is that of their haste to assemble the detention camp, the State didn't contemplate different places," Williams mentioned.

Florida officers criticized the ruling on Thursday.

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"Simply this week, a decide in the identical district as Decide Williams refused to listen to a case as a result of the Southern District of Florida was the improper venue for fits about Alligator Alcatraz," Jeremy Redfern, a spokesperson for the Florida lawyer normal's workplace, mentioned in an announcement to Fox Information. "As soon as once more, she oversteps her authority, and we'll attraction this illegal resolution."