By Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON () - A federal judge issued a stop to any new building at "Alligator Alcatraz" and prohibited the transfer of additional detainees to the migrant detention facility in the Florida Everglades that was promoted by President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams additionally mandated the removal of certain equipment and related structures from the distant location.
A judge in Miami, appointed by Democratic former President Barack Obama, supported environmental organizations that claim the facility is threatening the Everglades and its animals.
Florida, collaborating with the federal government on the construction of the facility, quickly initiated an appeal.
The directive stated that officials are required to eliminate "all generators, gas, sewage, and other waste and waste containers that were put in place to support this project," within 60 days. It further mentioned that certain fencing and extra lighting that had already been installed must also be taken down.
Environmental organizations that initiated the legal action expressed approval of the court's decision on Thursday.
The facility is situated 37 miles (60 km) west of Miami within a large subtropical wetland that hosts alligators, crocodiles, and pythons — an image the White House used to demonstrate its commitment to deporting migrants who it claims were improperly permitted to remain in the U.S. under former President Joe Biden.
A facility located in southern Florida at the Miami-Dade Collier Training and Transition Airport is projected to cost $450 million each year and may accommodate up to 5,000 individuals, according to officials.
The Homeland Security Department allocated money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's shelter and services program to pay for a "significant portion" of the detention center's expenses.
Two environmental organizations submitted a legal request in June aimed at halting additional construction at the detention facility, claiming it breached federal, state, and local environmental regulations.
For many years, "each Florida governor, each Florida senator, and numerous local and national political leaders, including presidents, have openly stated their complete backing for the Everglades' restoration, preservation, and safeguarding," the judge mentioned in Thursday's ruling.
This directive merely maintains the fundamental obligations of laws created to meet those commitments.
Some community leaders also opposed the building of the facility, which has attracted large groups of protesters.
Trump, who has visited the location, has downplayed the environmental issues, stating that the detention center serves as a model for what he aims to implement across the country.
The Republican leader, who owns a residence in Florida, has maintained strict immigration and border control measures as a key part of his political platform for ten years.
(Reported by Kanishka Singh in Washington; additional reporting by Nate Raymond and Mike Scarcella; Edited by Frank McGurty and Kate Mayberry)