Court Allows Florida’s Alligator Alcatraz To Remain ‘Open For Business’
A federal appeals court on Thursday handed a major win to Florida and the Trump administration, ruling that the controversial illegal alien detention center known as “Alligator Alcatraz” can continue operations while legal challenges play out.
The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a 2-1 decision that blocked a lower court’s temporary restraining order, which would have halted further placements of illegal immigrants at the facility. The district judge — an Obama appointee — had sided with environmental groups and an American Indian tribe who claimed the facility violated federal environmental protections.
But the appeals court panel disagreed, stating that the plaintiffs “failed to state a viable claim” and emphasized the federal government’s “undisputed and wide-reaching interest in combatting illegal immigration.”
“Given that illegal immigration is a matter of national security and public safety, we think the injunction issued below goes against the public interest,” the majority opinion read.
Trump Administration and DeSantis Celebrate Victory
The Department of Homeland Security hailed the ruling as a victory for law enforcement and border security.
HUGE VICTORY FOR ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ. Today’s order is a win for the American people, the rule of law and common sense. This lawsuit was never about the environmental impacts of turning a developed airport into a detention facility. It has and will always be about open-borders…
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) September 4, 2025
“Today’s order is a win for the American people, the rule of law and common sense,” DHS wrote in a statement on X. “This lawsuit was never about the environmental impacts of turning a developed airport into a detention facility. It’s about open-borders activists and judges trying to tie law enforcement’s hands.”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis echoed that sentiment in a video message, slamming media coverage that claimed the facility had been shut down.
“The media was giddy that somehow Alligator Alcatraz was ‘shutting down.’ And we told them that wasn’t true,” said DeSantis. “There have been illegal aliens continuing to be there and being removed and returned to their home country.”
He added: “So Alligator Alcatraz is, in fact, 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.”
Part of a Larger Trump Immigration Strategy
The Alligator Alcatraz facility, housed on a repurposed airport site in southern Florida, is part of a broader initiative spearheaded by President Donald Trump to partner with states on hardened detention centers to crack down on illegal immigration.
Other detention centers have been launched with similar nicknames — including the “Cornhusker Clink” in Nebraska and the “Speedway Slammer” in Indiana — as part of a larger federal-state immigration enforcement network.
Trump’s Justice Department and DHS have worked closely with governors like DeSantis to boost domestic detention capacity and streamline deportations of criminal illegal aliens.
The Biden-era efforts to close such facilities were quickly reversed in early 2025 after Trump retook office and issued a series of executive orders targeting illegal immigration and sanctuary policies nationwide.
With the legal green light from the 11th Circuit, the Trump administration and Florida are now expected to expand operations at Alligator Alcatraz while preparing for further courtroom battles over the facility’s long-term status.