'Alligator Alcatraz' plan lacks transparency: Environmental advocate
Share this @internewscast.com


() An organizer with a Florida conservationist group is alleging a lack of transparency from government officials over the immigration detention center dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz.”

“The federal government needs to look before it leaps, even when it’s acting in partnership with the state of Florida,” Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglades, told .

Friends of the Everglades, along with the Center for Biological Diversity, filed a lawsuit Friday against the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Florida Division of Emergency Management and Miami-Dade County. The lawsuit seeks to halt further construction at the site.

“The site is more than 96% wetlands, surrounded by Big Cypress National Preserve, and is habitat for the endangered Florida panther and other iconic species. This scheme is not only cruel, it threatens the Everglades ecosystem that state and federal taxpayers have spent billions to protect,” Samples said in a statement.

President Donald Trump visited the controversial facility Tuesday along with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. It will have heavy-duty tents and trailers to house detained immigrants. The state of Florida said it will soon have 5,000 beds in operation there.

On potential environmental damage to the Everglades, Trump said, “We’ll be gone a million years, and this land will still be here … I think it was a brilliant choice, and I think almost anybody in his or her right mind would say this was a brilliant choice.”

Samples said the campaigns rolled out by Florida politicians that announced the opening of “Alligator Alcatraz” ignored the environmental impacts.

DHS responded to the lawsuit, calling it “lazy,” and added that the group is ignoring that the land in question has been developed for years.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Australian State Proposes Stricter Regulations on Extremist Flags Following Bondi Incident

SYDNEY – In response to a recent mass shooting in Sydney’s Bondi…

Turning Point Convention Unleashes Chaos: Key Highlights and Unforgettable Moments

PHOENIX – As Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest convention reached its midway point,…

Army Veteran Receives Gift of a Mortgage-Free Home from Nonprofit in Port Orange

PORT ORANGE, Fla. – A wave of cheers and applause erupted in…

Persistent Heat and Dry Conditions Expected to Grip Central Florida Through New Year’s

ORLANDO, Fla. – Floridians are set to experience a split in weather…

Bowen Yang Announces Mid-Season SNL Exit, Shares Final Episode with Ariana Grande

NEW YORK – Bowen Yang is set to leave “Saturday Night Live”…

Mini-Motorcycle Crash in Orange County Leaves Rider Seriously Injured, Troopers Report

Orange County, Fla. – A serious accident involving a mini-motorcycle on Saturday…

Parents Voice Concerns as Plans to Close Multiple Orange County Schools Move Forward

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – The recent announcement from Orange County Public Schools…

Kingsport Battles Severe Storm Damage and Widespread Power Outages: Community Resilience in Action

In Kingsport, Tennessee, residents faced a challenging Thursday night as high winds…

Honoring a Legacy: WWII Navy Veteran and Pearl Harbor Survivor Ira ‘Ike’ Schab Passes Away at 105

Ira “Ike” Schab, a distinguished veteran of the United States Navy and…

Weekend Highlights: Exciting High School Basketball Tournaments Kick Off Holiday Season

On Saturday evening, basketball fans in the Tri-Cities, Tennessee area were treated…

Historic Milestone: VA Successfully Houses Unprecedented Number of Veterans in 2025

MOUNTAIN HOME, Tenn. (WJHL) – In 2025, the U.S. Department of Veterans…

Experience the Magic: Christmas in Olde Jonesborough Concludes with Enchanting Downtown Church Stroll

Against the charming backdrop of Jonesborough, Tennessee, the town’s annual “Christmas in…