Trump Vetoes Bill Benefiting Indian Tribe Suing To Shut Down Alligator Alcatraz
President Donald Trump issued his first vetoes of his second term on Tuesday, blocking two separate spending bills — including one that would have delivered millions in infrastructure support to a Florida-based Indian tribe currently suing his administration over an illegal immigrant detention center dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz.”
The Miccosukee Reserved Area Amendments Act, which passed the Senate by unanimous consent and the House by voice vote, aimed to expand the tribe’s federally recognized land in the Everglades and mandate federal investment in anti-flooding infrastructure for the added territory. But Trump vetoed the legislation, citing the tribe’s ongoing legal challenge and its opposition to his administration’s immigration enforcement agenda.
“My Administration is committed to preventing American taxpayers from funding projects for special interests, especially those that are unaligned with my Administration’s policy of removing violent criminal illegal aliens from the country,” Trump wrote in his veto message.
The Miccosukee Tribe has sued to shut down Alligator Alcatraz, a new detention center for illegal immigrants located deep in the Everglades. The tribe alleges the facility violates environmental and tribal sovereignty rights. Their request for an injunction was denied by a federal appeals court in September, but the legal battle continues.
Despite the lawsuit, Congress moved ahead with legislation to expand the Miccosukee’s territory — a move Trump criticized as rewarding obstructionism.
“Despite seeking funding and special treatment from the Federal Government, the Miccosukee Tribe has actively sought to obstruct reasonable immigration policies that the American people decisively voted for when I was elected,” he said.
According to Trump, the area in question — known as Osceola Camp — is already being used by the tribe without formal federal authorization, and he argued it is not the federal government’s responsibility to fund improvements to land obtained through what he described as unauthorized expansion.
The veto effectively blocks implementation of a long-stalled $14 million Biden-era infrastructure proposal for the tribe, which the Trump administration never activated.
In addition to the Miccosukee bill, Trump also vetoed legislation for the Arkansas Valley Conduit, a water pipeline designed to serve southeastern Colorado. While it had bipartisan support, Trump labeled it a costly boondoggle that placed local concerns above national fiscal priorities.
“Enough is enough,” Trump said. “My administration is committed to preventing American taxpayers from funding expensive and unreliable policies.”
These two vetoes mark the first presidential vetoes of Trump’s second term, signaling a hard line against what he calls regional carve-outs and handouts as he ramps up his fiscal tightening agenda.