ORLANDO, Fla. (PulseWire) — A federal judge on Thursday denied a request for a preliminary injunction to close an immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz.” The judge determined that the detainee, known as M.A. in court documents, did not demonstrate sufficient irreparable harm to warrant such an immediate and significant intervention.
U.S. District Judge Kyle Dudek stated that while there may be legitimate deficiencies at the facility, the plaintiff had not met the rigorous standards required for an injunction before the case proceeds in federal court in Fort Myers, Florida.
“While there may indeed be deficiencies at Alligator Alcatraz that ultimately justify its dissolution, the plaintiff has not made the extraordinary showing needed to justify immediate relief of such magnitude,” Judge Dudek noted.
The facilities at 'Alligator Alcatraz' were constructed this summer at a remote airstrip in the Florida Everglades under the direction of Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration. M.A.'s lawsuit is one among three federal cases challenging various operations and practices at the facility.
M.A. claims that immigration enforcement is predominantly a federal concern and that state and privately contracted officials lack the proper authority to manage the facility under federal laws. According to the lawsuit, detainees often lose track of their status in the normal system and struggle to seek legal representation.
The judge expressed cautious deliberation, indicating that requests to close such an expansive and costly detention center should not occur before the merits of its legality are considered in court proceedings.
In a related ruling last summer, another judge ordered the facility to wind down operations over environmental review oversights, but this decision was paused pending an appeal.
In a separate complaint, detainees sought assurance for private and confidential communication rights with their attorneys, noting difficulties in accessing legal support and scheduling delays caused systemic hurdles in their legal representation.
A following negotiation aimed at resolving these issues failed to yield any agreement, with attorneys for both sides unable to find common ground after extensive talks.
