A recent report reveals that hundreds of individuals detained at the Alligator Alcatraz immigration processing center in Florida have disappeared from federal records. Lawyers are accusing U.S. authorities of creating a detention “black hole” as detainees vanish from ICE’s online locator. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has criticized ICE’s refusal to update detainee locations, which hinders attorney-client communication and undermines due process. By late August, around 800 detainees were no longer listed in ICE’s database, with others only showing the instruction to “Call ICE for details”.
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Reports emerged alleging guards at Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration jail used teargas and beat detainees during a disturbance, following a judge’s order to close the facility. Detainees reported the incident to a Spanish-language news channel, describing indiscriminate beatings and teargas deployment after migrants began shouting for freedom. While the Florida Division of Emergency Management denied the allegations, the incident follows frequent reports of inhumane conditions at the camp, where migrants are held in metal cages. The facility is slated to close within 60 days, and DeSantis has already announced plans for a new immigration jail.
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U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams has ruled that the “Alligator Alcatraz” detention center in the Florida Everglades must cease operations by late October, despite state and federal challenges. The judge denied requests to pause the shutdown order, noting the detainee population was already dwindling. The facility, which opened recently after significant state investment, has faced legal challenges regarding its environmental impact and detainees’ access to legal counsel. Additionally, the state is preparing to open a second immigration detention facility, even as multiple lawsuits seek to halt operations at “Alligator Alcatraz.”
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Florida is set to close the “Alligator Alcatraz” detention facility after a federal judge’s ruling, despite a $245 million investment. The facility, constructed at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, was intended to support the Trump administration’s focus on immigration enforcement. However, legal challenges, particularly from environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe, led to its closure within 60 days. The facility’s closure would be a setback for Governor DeSantis and the Trump administration, potentially increasing pressure on existing detention facilities.
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The Florida-run immigration detention facility in the Everglades, known as “Alligator Alcatraz,” is likely to be empty within days, according to an email exchange shared with the Associated Press. This development comes despite legal battles surrounding the facility’s closure, ordered by a federal judge. The state, alongside the federal government, is fighting the order, citing a need for the facility’s capacity, while environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe dispute this argument and claim the facility is harmful to the sensitive Everglades. Detainees at the facility have reportedly experienced poor conditions, which is another argument for the closure of the facility.
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Judge blocks administration from deporting Abrego Garcia until at least October.
So, here’s the deal: a judge has put the brakes on the administration’s plans to deport Abrego Garcia, at least until October. It’s a welcome pause in what seems to be a relentless game of cat and mouse. The immediate implication is that they can’t just whisk him away to Uganda, or wherever they’ve been trying to send him, for now.
The frustration with this whole situation is understandable. Why is this man still in detention? What crimes, if any, has he actually committed? It’s infuriating to see the government seemingly trying to manufacture a reason to get rid of him.… Continue reading
U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams has issued a preliminary injunction against Alligator Alcatraz, mandating a halt to all new construction and prohibiting the admission of new detainees. The 82-page order, issued in response to a lawsuit from environmental groups, demands the removal of infrastructure, including fencing, generators, and lighting, within 60 days. The ruling stems from a failure to conduct required environmental studies before construction, and the judge cited a lack of justification for the facility’s location within the Everglades. Furthermore, the order emphasizes that existing facilities can only be modified for safety purposes, ensuring that the site’s environmental impact is mitigated.
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A federal judge has ruled to shut down the Alligator Alcatraz immigration detention center within 60 days, prohibiting the intake of new detainees. The judge cited environmental concerns and ordered the removal of infrastructure that transformed the airstrip into a detention center, ultimately rendering the site uninhabitable. This decision comes in response to a lawsuit filed by environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe who claimed the facility could cause irreparable harm to the Everglades. The state has filed a notice to appeal the ruling.
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A six-year-old girl from Queens and her mother were detained by federal agents in New York City and are now held in a Texas detention facility, while her teenage brother is in New Jersey. The family, originally from Ecuador, was apprehended following a routine check-in at immigration court. According to a spokesperson, the family entered the country illegally in 2022 and has received final orders of removal, however, local officials are working with legal aid to assist the family.
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A New Zealand citizen legally residing in the US since 2021, was detained at a Washington state border checkpoint due to an expired travel permit. Despite having valid immigration documents, her son was also taken into custody. After being denied humanitarian parole, they were transported to a detention center in Texas. This occurred due to a minor paperwork error where she failed to renew her travel permit. Her lawyer argues that her detention was unnecessary, especially given her established life in the US and lack of criminal record.
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John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood