Women have long fought to protect the Florida Everglades, the site of ‘Alligator Alcatraz’

July 1, 2025

President Donald Trump attended the opening of a new migrant detention center, nicknamed "Alligator Alcatraz," being built in Florida's Big Cypress National Preserve as part of his administration's mass deportation agenda. The facility, supported by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Attorney General James Uthmeier, has sparked significant opposition from environmental groups including Friends of the Everglades, which was founded by the renowned conservationist Marjory Stoneman Douglas who previously fought to protect the area from development. Environmental organizations and Native American tribal leaders have mounted legal challenges and protests against the detention center, arguing it threatens protected wetlands and endangered species habitats in an ecosystem that taxpayers have spent billions to protect.

Who is affected

Migrants who would be detained at the "Alligator Alcatraz" facility
The Everglades ecosystem, including endangered Florida panthers and other wildlife
Native American tribes who call the Everglades home, including the Miccosukee Tribe
Environmental advocacy groups like Friends of the Everglades
Taxpayers who have funded Everglades protection efforts

What action is being taken

Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity are suing in federal court to halt construction of the detention facility
Betty Osceola, an environmental leader from the Miccosukee Tribe, is helping lead peaceful demonstrations against the detention center
Environmental groups are publicly opposing the project through statements and organized resistance
Construction of the "Alligator Alcatraz" detention facility is proceeding in the Big Cypress National Preserve

Why it matters

The detention center is being built in an area that is more than 96% wetlands and serves as habitat for endangered species
The site is surrounded by the Big Cypress National Preserve, which environmentalists and tribal leaders have fought to protect for decades
State and federal taxpayers have invested billions of dollars to protect the Everglades ecosystem
The project represents a continuation of historical tensions between development interests and environmental conservation in the Everglades
The facility is part of the Trump administration's broader mass deportation agenda

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The 19th