Florida Everglades Detention Center Lawsuit

Environmental groups, including Friends of the Everglades and Center for Biological Diversity, have asked a federal appellate court to lift its temporary halt on a lower court's order to close an immigration detention center in the United States — Florida Everglades, known as 'Alligator Alcatraz'. The facility remains open due to arguments by United States — Florida and the Donald Trump administration that the state was not required to follow federal environmental law as it had not yet applied for federal reimbursement. However, United States — Florida was later notified that United States — Federal Emergency Management Agency approved $608 million in federal funding for the center. The appellate judges are questioning the extent of federal control over the state-built facility and the circumstances under which federal environmental law applies, with a ruling pending. This is one of three federal court challenges against the facility.