Environmental campaigners have accused US federal and state officials of concealing critical evidence about the funding for a controversial immigration detention centre in the Florida Everglades, known as "Alligator Alcatraz".
New Evidence Reveals Early Funding Talks
The fresh allegations stem from emails and documents obtained via a public records request. This new evidence, according to the groups, shows that officials had discussed federal reimbursement for the facility's construction as early as June.
Furthermore, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) confirmed in early August that it had received a grant application from Florida state officials. The state was later notified in late September that FEMA had approved a substantial $608 million in federal funding to support the centre's construction and operation.
"We now know that the federal and state government had records confirming that they closely partnered on this facility from the beginning but failed to disclose them to the district court," said Tania Galloni, an attorney for the environmental groups.
Legal Battle Over Environmental Compliance
The revelation is central to an ongoing legal battle. A federal judge in Miami ordered the facility to wind down operations in mid-August, ruling that officials had failed to conduct a mandatory environmental impact review under federal law. The judge concluded a reimbursement decision had already been made.
However, an appellate court in Atlanta put a temporary hold on that closure order in early September. At that time, the court relied on arguments from Florida and the Trump administration that the state had not yet applied for federal reimbursement and was therefore not bound by federal environmental law.
The environmental groups, Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity, have now filed court papers arguing this new evidence must be considered as judges decide the facility's permanent fate.
Broader Context and Ongoing Challenges
Florida has been at the forefront of constructing facilities to support former President Donald Trump's immigration policies. Besides the Everglades site, which received its first detainees in July, the state has opened another centre in northeast Florida and is considering a third in the Florida Panhandle.
The environmental lawsuit is one of three federal court challenges facing the Everglades facility. Separate cases brought by detainees argue that Florida agencies and their private contractors lack the federal authority to operate the centre and seek to protect attorney-client confidentiality.
The Florida Department of Emergency Management, which led the construction efforts, did not respond to a request for comment on the allegations.
