Archive · 5 Sep 2025
Court Allows 'Alligator Alcatraz' Detention Center to Remain Open
A court has decided that a detention center in Florida, called 'Alligator Alcatraz', can stay open for now.
A lower court had wanted to shut it down because of environmental concerns and potential harm to the Everglades.
Environmental groups had filed a lawsuit about it.
The appeals court will now review the lower court's decision.
The detention center was built quickly to house up to 3,000 migrants.
Detainees have reported issues such as lack of medical care.
The future of the detention center is now in the hands of the appeals court.
The appeals court ruled the detention center can stay open for now.
A lower court judge had previously ordered the facility to close.
The facility is located in the Florida Everglades.
Environmental groups sued over environmental impact concerns.
The center was planned to hold 3,000 undocumented migrants.
- Who
- A US appeals court, Friends of the Everglades, Center for Biological Diversity, and the Trump administration
- What
- Ruled that the Florida migrant detention center can remain open while an appeal is heard.
- When
- Thursday
- Where
- Florida Everglades
- Why
- To allow the Trump administration's appeal of the shutdown order to be heard.
- Facility Nickname
- "Alligator Alcatraz"
- Detainee Capacity
- 3,000
- Location
- Abandoned airfield in the Everglades, Florida
- Construction Time
- Eight days