The immigration detention center known as “Alligator Alcatraz”, located in the Florida Everglades, has begun its gradual evacuation following a court order that marked a turning point in the U.S. immigration debate.
The complex has faced multiple criticisms since its inception, and its forced closure represents a judicial victory for environmental activists and families of detainees, albeit not without controversies.
In compliance with the court order, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that those detained at “Alligator Alcatraz” are being relocated to other centers.
“DHS is complying with this order and transferring detainees to other facilities. We will continue to fight tooth and nail to rid American streets of the worst offenders,” emphasized the official statement.
In the document, the judge is also accused of ignoring that "this land has been undergoing urban development for a decade now."
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) indicated that many of the detainees are being sent to the Camp East Montana detention center in El Paso, Texas.
Currently, the center is housing 1,173 individuals, but it is preparing to expand its capacity weekly with 250 new beds, aiming to accommodate up to 5,000 detainees if necessary.
According to a Florida state official in communications with religious personnel associated with the center, the complex in the Everglades is expected to be empty "in the coming days."
A court order with environmental roots
Federal Judge Kathleen Williams ordered the closure of the center based on the damage to Florida's wetlands ecosystem, not directly on the conditions of the migrants.
The decision comes after a lawsuit warning about the harmful effects of the center in a protected area.
"The order from this activist judge is a new attempt to prevent the president from fulfilling the mandate of the American people," stated the DHS in a politically charged statement.
Despite the appeal filed by the state of Florida and the administration of former President Donald Trump, the judge refused to suspend her ruling while the case is being resolved in the Eleventh Circuit.
“There are other places, other detention centers where the president's policy can be carried out”, explained political analyst Alex Penelas, emphasizing that neither the state nor the executive presented new evidence to justify a precautionary suspension.
Divided reactions: between celebration and condemnation
The reactions to the eviction of "Alligator Alcatraz" reflect the deep polarization surrounding immigration policy in the U.S.
The self-proclaimed "border czar," Tom Holman, called the closure a mistake and defended the conditions of the center: "It was clean, well-maintained, and had good food, better than what many American citizens have."
In contrast, for families like that of Katia Rojas, the ex-wife of a detained migrant, the judge's decision was a sigh of relief: "No place is good right now, but that was the worst," she stated.
His ex-partner was transferred to El Paso, where they remain under a deportation order. “Of course it was a victory, an achievement for all these families who have been sleepless and suffering. We must celebrate the truth,” Rojas stated.
The congressman Carlos Giménez also commented on the closure, without explicitly supporting the ruling but acknowledging the legitimacy of the judicial process.
A battle still underway
Despite the start of the eviction, the controversy is far from being resolved.
The government has filed an appeal with the eleventh circuit, which could alter the course of the proceedings if the decision is overturned.
Nevertheless, in the meantime, the transfers continue, and the infrastructure of the center in the Florida wetlands appears to be destined for abandonment.
The case of "Alligator Alcatraz" illustrates how migration, judicial, and environmental themes intertwine in a scenario where decisions not only affect public policies but also have a real impact on the lives of thousands of people.
The forced closure of the center sets a precedent and calls into question not only the legality of the establishment but also the ethics of its operations.
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