Federal judge orders admin to stop sending illegal migrants to Florida's 'Alligator Alcatraz'

A federal judge in Florida on Thursday night ordered the Trump administration to stop sending illegal migrants to its immigration detention center, dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz," and ordered a stop to all construction on the site.

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an emergency order to repurpose the old Dade-Collier Training Airport into the detention center in the Florida Everglades earlier this year, which is expected to hold up to 5,000 people. 

U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams determined in her preliminary ruling that the facility can remain operational for now, but barred the administration from installing any additional industrial-style lighting and expanding the facility. 

Williams also ruled that the facility must remove “all generators, gas, sewage, and other waste and waste receptacles that were installed to support this project,” within the next 60 days, along with lights that were installed for the project, per NBC News. 

The judge additionally said all temporary fencing must be removed to give Native American tribe members access to the site. 

An attorney for environmental groups that lodged the complaint argued earlier this month that the site violated the National Environmental Policy Act, which directs federal agencies to assess the environmental impact of major construction projects. 

The government argued that the environmental legislation does not apply because the construction and operation of the facility is entirely done by Florida.

The government has already appealed Williams' ruling, according to court records. The state is also expected to ask for the ruling to be stayed while the appeals process plays out, the New York Times reported.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.