A federal judge in Florida decided on Thursday to reject a detained immigrant’s lawsuit seeking to close “Alligator Alcatraz” with his request for a preliminary injunction.
U.S. District Judge Kyle Dudek determined that the plaintiff, identified as M.A., failed to demonstrate he suffered irreparable harm at the state-run immigration detention center. Dudek said he wanted to be cautious in denying the request because no court decision has been made yet on the facility’s legality.
The Trump-appointed judge said while the facility may have “deficiencies,” the plaintiff did not meet the high burden required for immediate relief while his case proceeds in federal court.
The request for a preliminary injunction is one of three federal lawsuits that are challenging Alligator Alcatraz, located at a remote airstrip in South Florida’s Everglades.
The detention center is run by the administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), who appeared at the July grand opening alongside President Donald Trump and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.
In partnership with Florida, the Department of Homeland Security transfers illegal immigrants to Alligator Alcatraz and provides significant federal funding for it through a $608 million reimbursement.
Since its inception, Alligator Alcatraz has been repeatedly challenged in court. One lawsuit was semi-successful after a federal judge ordered Florida to shut down the site over the summer. However, an appeals court paused that decision, and the facility remains open.
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That lawsuit was led by environmental groups that argued the detention center’s hasty construction bypassed environmental impact reviews as required by federal law. The plaintiffs were concerned that the facility would harm endangered species and disrupt the natural ecosystem in the Everglades.
DeSantis remains committed to keeping Alligator Alcatraz open in furtherance of the Trump administration’s immigration agenda.