Latest news with #DadeCollier
Fox News
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Environmental groups try blocking Trump's 'Alligator Alcatraz' with last-minute lawsuit
Multiple environmental groups filed a federal lawsuit Friday alleging officials did not evaluate ecologic impacts when constructing "Alligator Alcatraz," an illegal immigrant detention center near the Everglades and Big Cypress National Preserve. The lawsuit, filed by Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity in the Southern District of Florida, aims to pause construction at the federal site, which is being built at the reportedly unoccupied Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport. "It's a lazy lawsuit, and it ignores the fact that this land has already been developed for a decade," Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital. The 30-square-mile property will be home to 5,000 ICE detainees and is guarded by alligators and pythons. The Trump administration announced Tuesday it had approved the project, and crews started working on the transformation Monday. Attorneys allege the installation of housing units; the construction of sanitation and food services systems, lighting infrastructure, diesel power generators; and the use of the runway to transport detainees, pose "clear" environmental harms, according to a FOX 13 Tampa Bay report. Environmental groups and Native Americans who live in the reserve protested outside the airport Saturday, calling on officials to protect their homeland from additional pollution. "The defendants, in their rush to build the center, have unlawfully bypassed the required environmental reviews," according to court documents. "The direct and indirect harm to nearby wetlands, wildlife and air and water quality, and feasible alternatives to the action, must be considered under NEPA [National Environmental Policy Act] before acting." Lawyers also accused officials of violating Miami-Dade County code and noted Emergency Management's lack of authority to construct and manage a correctional center, according to the report. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told Fox News' "Fox & Friends" Friday that illegal immigrants could begin arriving by Tuesday, clarifying no permanent changes would be made. "It's all temporary," DeSantis said. "We'll set it up, and we'll break it down. This isn't our first rodeo. The impact will be zero." He added the center will be a "force multiplier," aiding in the enforcement of President Donald Trump's mandate. Funded by the state, the center will cost about $450 million to operate annually with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursements. As the lawsuit seeking an injunction moves its way through the courts, work is continuing at the site, FOX 13 reported. The suit names Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons Florida Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie and Miami-Dade County. Florida Emergency Management and ICE did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment. Miami-Dade County could not immediately be reached for comment.
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawsuit and protest intensify over 'Alligator Alcatraz' in Everglades
A legal and environmental firestorm is growing around Florida's controversial migrant detention center — dubbed 'Alligator Alcatraz' — under construction at the remote Dade‑Collier airstrip in the Everglades. On June 27, two conservation groups, Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity, filed a federal lawsuit seeking to halt construction. They argue the state bypassed required environmental reviews under both the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act, putting wetlands and fragile ecosystems at risk. The suit specifically cites threats to wetlands, endangered species, and culturally important tribal lands. Environmentalists rallied on June 28, with dozens gathering near the site in a protest organized by tribal elder Betty Osceola. Many held signs emphasizing the 'sacred' nature of the land and decried rushed decisions that ignored public input. According to AP News, the center is designed to house up to 5,000 migrants in temporary structures and will rely on nearby swampland, as well as local wildlife like alligators and pythons, as natural barriers. It is expected to become operational by early July and cost around $450 million per year, funded via FEMA's shelter and services program. Florida officials, including Governor Ron DeSantis and AG James Uthmeier, defend the project as an efficient processing site, while critics, including Miami‑Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, demand environmental impact assessments. With lawsuits filed and protests ongoing, the debate captures the clash between accelerated immigration enforcement and preservation of sensitive tribal and ecological lands within a UNESCO‑linked wetland. The post Lawsuit and protest intensify over 'Alligator Alcatraz' in Everglades appeared first on
CBS News
2 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Controversial "Alligator Alcatraz" detention facility days away from opening, DeSantis says
A controversial immigration detention center being constructed in the Everglades is just days away from opening. On Friday, Gov. Ron DeSantis gave Jim Doocy from "Fox and Friends" a tour of the site dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz." DeSantis said the facility will begin taking in those not in this country legally on Tuesday, the facility can hold 3,000 detainees. The governor shared how this operation will help with the Trump administration's mandate to crackdown on illegal immigration. He said there are about 50,000 undocumented immigrants in Florida who have been ordered removed by an immigration judge. DeSantis calls it a "one stop shop" The detention facility is being set up at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, an aviation training facility with its own runway. DeSantis said the facility will help with intake, processing and deportation. "We've got a massive runway right behind us where any of the federal assets, if they want to fly these people back to their own country, they can do it, it's a one stop shop," DeSantis said. DeSantis said the facility will not impact the training flights at the airport. The Division of Emergency Management will handle the operations and the Florida National Guard will deploy about 100 soldiers next week to secure the perimeter and entry points. Four massive tents complete with banks of portable air conditioners will house the detainees. "Illegals will come in, they will be processed, there are places for them to be housed. You'll have the ability for food, there will also be the ability for them to consult legal rights if they have that," DeSantis said. "It's being done right, it's being done by the book," he added. On Friday, environmental groups filed a federal lawsuit Friday to block the opening of a facility until it undergoes a stringent environmental review as required by federal law.
