𝗔𝗦 𝗔𝗡 𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗡, 𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗗 𝗧𝗢 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗜𝗡 𝗔 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗥𝗬 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗦 𝗔𝗡 "𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗔𝗧𝗢𝗥 𝗔𝗟𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗭?"

 

A legal showdown is unfolding over a new migrant detention center in the Florida Everglades, where civil rights lawyers say detainees are being held without charges, denied access to attorneys, and deported without due process. The facility, nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz,” has drawn widespread condemnation from legal advocates and human rights groups, who accuse Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem of disregarding constitutional protections.

In a federal court hearing Monday, lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union argued that nearly 100 detainees have already been deported under troubling conditions. They say officers have pressured migrants to sign deportation orders without legal counsel, while bond hearings have been canceled or rerouted to courts that claim no jurisdiction.

“This is an emergency,” said ACLU attorney Eunice Cho, warning that basic rights are being ignored at the site, which opened a month ago on an old airstrip deep in the Everglades.

In court, an attorney for DeSantis acknowledged that the situation had changed since the ACLU’s lawsuit was filed. The state claims it has since allowed attorney access through video calls and in-person meetings. But federal Judge Rodolfo Ruiz was unconvinced, directing lawyers to consolidate their claims into a formal motion for a preliminary injunction and demanding more transparency about who controls the facility.

“There’s a black hole when it comes to federal and state authority here,” Ruiz said, questioning the legality and oversight of the detention center’s operation.

The judge stopped short of ordering immediate relief but allowed civil rights lawyers to request any agreements between state and federal officials that define who governs the site. That question of jurisdiction remains unresolved.

Meanwhile, environmental groups have filed a separate lawsuit alleging that the facility’s construction violated environmental laws. Lawyers for the state and federal government argue both lawsuits were filed in the wrong court district.

Despite mounting criticism, DeSantis continues to defend the center. At a press event Monday, he urged faster deportations, calling opposition to the facility a sign of support for open borders.

Kristi Noem has also backed the project, calling Florida’s initiative a model for expanding federal detention efforts. Critics see it differently, describing the site as inhumane and lawless—more punishment than policy.

As legal battles continue, detainees remain inside a facility critics say represents a disturbing erosion of civil rights under the guise of immigration enforcement.