Attorneys Say Detainees Denied Rights at ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Civil rights groups argue detainees at Florida’s controversial “Alligator Alcatraz” are denied legal counsel and due process. A federal judge has called for clarification on jurisdiction and demanded more transparency. Governor DeSantis and federal officials defend the facility as a lawful extension of Trump’s immigration policies.
Quick Looks
- Attorneys claim detainees are held without charges and barred from lawyers.
- Over 100 detainees have already been deported, lawyers say.
- Immigration court allegedly refuses bond hearings, citing lack of jurisdiction.
- ACLU lawyer warns of coercive deportation tactics without counsel access.
- Florida officials argue conditions have improved since lawsuit filing.
- Judge Ruiz has asked for a consolidated complaint and set an August 18 hearing.
- Court seeks clarity on jurisdiction between federal and state agencies.
- Environmental groups have also sued over the facility’s location in the Everglades.
- DOJ says venue is improper, citing construction in the Middle District.
- DeSantis defends the center and pushes for faster deportations.
- Homeland Security Secretary Noem has praised Florida’s partnership.
Deep Look
A legal and political storm is brewing over the immigration detention center dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” in the Florida Everglades, where civil rights attorneys allege that immigrants are being held without due process, denied access to attorneys, and fast-tracked for deportation. The facility, built on a remote airstrip, has quickly become the subject of multiple lawsuits, raising constitutional, environmental, and jurisdictional concerns.
During a virtual federal court hearing Monday, lawyers with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other advocacy groups requested a temporary restraining order, arguing that the rights of detainees were being systematically violated. They claim many immigrants are being detained without formal charges, barred from meeting with legal counsel, and denied bond hearings — a cornerstone of immigration due process.
“An Emergency Situation” in the Courts
“This is an emergency situation,” said Eunice Cho, an attorney with the ACLU Foundation. “Officers at ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ are going around trying to force people to sign deportation orders without the ability to speak to counsel.”
Cho said more than 100 detainees have already been deported from the facility. Legal advocates attempting to appear for bond hearings were reportedly told the immigration court had no jurisdiction over the detainees, leaving their cases in legal limbo.
Attorneys are now demanding that federal and state authorities identify which immigration court has authority over the facility so that formal legal proceedings — such as bond petitions — can proceed.
State Response: Conditions Have Changed
Nicholas Meros, legal counsel for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, pushed back during the hearing, stating that videoconference rooms had been established for attorney-client conversations and that in-person legal visits had begun.
“There have been a number of facts that have changed,” Meros argued, suggesting that the lawsuit was based on outdated conditions.
Still, U.S. District Judge Rodolfo Ruiz, a Trump appointee, did not issue a ruling. Instead, he asked civil rights attorneys to refile their complaint as a request for a preliminary injunction, setting a court schedule that will culminate in an in-person hearing on August 18.
Ruiz made it clear that the court would not act as a proxy warden. “Attempts to transform the court into the warden of ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ is not going to happen here,” he said.
Jurisdictional Fog and Transparency Issues
One of the key concerns Judge Ruiz raised was the murky nature of jurisdiction and authority at the facility. He allowed civil rights attorneys to pursue the release of any agreements between the federal and state governments outlining control over the detention center.
“Knowing who’s doing what in this facility is crucial,” Ruiz said. “The court may be walking into a bit of a black hole about the interplay between federal and state authorities and certainly jurisdictional concerns.”
This legal ambiguity stems from the facility’s location: constructed on an airstrip in the Everglades, which physically sits in Collier County (Middle District) but is owned by Miami-Dade County (Southern District). Meanwhile, key policy decisions were reportedly made in Tallahassee, in the Northern District. The U.S. Department of Justice argues this confusion makes the Southern District an improper venue for legal action.
Second Lawsuit: Environmental Concerns
In addition to the civil rights suit, environmental groups have filed a second lawsuit, accusing state and federal officials of bypassing environmental regulations in constructing the facility. They claim the center was fast-tracked without proper reviews of its impact on protected wetlands.
A venue dispute hearing for that case is set for Wednesday, adding yet another legal layer to the controversy surrounding “Alligator Alcatraz.”
Political Heat and Federal Endorsements
Critics — including immigrant advocacy groups and progressive lawmakers — have labeled the detention center a “cruel, inhumane facility” emblematic of the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown.
But Governor DeSantis and other Republicans have fiercely defended the project. At a Monday press conference in Panama City Beach, DeSantis said the state intends to accelerate deportations from the facility.
“If you don’t support sending somebody back to their own country who came in illegally and has already been ordered to be removed, then you are for an open border,” DeSantis said. “I reject that. That is not how a country can operate.”
DeSantis has found a key ally in U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who praised Florida’s initiative as the federal government works to expand immigration detention capacity nationwide.
What Comes Next
The legal dispute surrounding “Alligator Alcatraz” is far from over. With the next federal hearing scheduled for August 18, the fight over the facility’s legality, transparency, and treatment of detainees is expected to intensify.
Both lawsuits — civil rights and environmental — have drawn national attention and could reshape immigration detention practices, not just in Florida but across the United States. Until then, the public and the courts are left to ask: Who controls “Alligator Alcatraz,” and are constitutional rights being upheld inside its walls?
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