A federal appeals court on Thursday halted a judge’s order to shut down the Alligator Alcatraz detention facility, allowing it to remain open while the case proceeds.
A three-judge panel of the Eleventh Circuit granted Florida’s request to stay a lower court injunction that would have required the site to wind down by late October.
The order blocks U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams’ directive to stop accepting new detainees and to remove fencing, lighting and other infrastructure within 60 days. Judge Barbara Lagoa wrote the majority opinion, joined by Judge Elizabeth Branch, while Judge Adalberto Jordan dissented.
“We said the mission would continue, and I’m pleased to say that the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals has just stayed that ruling and stayed the case,” said Gov. Ron DeSantis following the ruling. “Alligator Alcatraz is, like we’ve always said, open for business. The mission continues, and we’re going to continue leading the way when it comes to immigration enforcement.”
The panel said challengers are unlikely to prove the project qualifies as a “major Federal action” under the recently revised National Environmental Policy Act, noting that the Department of Homeland Security has not finalized funding and that Florida’s expectation of reimbursement does not by itself make the project federal.
The majority also said the state faced immediate consequences if the shutdown order remained in place, while environmental concerns raised by opponents were less concrete at this stage.
The case was brought by Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity, with the Miccosukee Tribe involved, against DHS officials and Florida’s Division of Emergency Management. The site was built in June at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, about 40 miles west of Miami, to house immigrants detained under President Donald Trump’s enforcement push.
“Victory secured against activist judge who held me in contempt!,” said Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier. “The 11th Circuit not only blocked Judge Williams’ order to close Alligator Alcatraz, but they blocked her from proceeding with the case until the appeal is complete. A win for Florida and President Trump’s agenda!”
