Several environmental organizations initiated a federal lawsuit on Friday, claiming that officials failed to evaluate the ecological effects of constructing the Wannial Catraz, an immigrant detention center located near the Everglades and Big Cypress National Reserve.
The action, brought by Everglades Friends and the Center for Biodiversity in the Southern District of Florida, seeks to halt construction on what is allegedly federal land.
“This is a lazy lawsuit that overlooks the fact that the area has been developed for over a decade,” said Tricia McLaughlin, Homeland Security’s Deputy Director, in a statement.
The facility, covering 30 square miles, is designed to hold 5,000 detainees and is said to be safeguarded by crocodiles and pythons.
Recently, the Trump administration confirmed the project’s approval, which led construction teams to begin work on the site earlier this week.
Lawyers are pushing for the creation of proper housing units, along with necessary sanitary and food service systems, lighting, and generators, as well as runway access for transporting detainees.
Environmental advocates and Native Americans residing in the area protested outside the airport, calling for protection against further pollution damaging their homeland.
Court documents claim that officials hurried to establish the facility, bypassing essential environmental reviews. The lawsuit indicates that there are viable alternatives nearby that should have been assessed under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
The advocates also allege that officials violated local ordinances in Miami-Dade County, lacking any authority for emergency management to construct and oversee correctional centers.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stated on “Fox & Friends” that illegal immigrants might start arriving by the following week, asserting that no long-term changes would occur.
“It’s temporary,” DeSantis explained. “We’ll set it up and then dismantle it later. This isn’t our first time doing this. The outcome will be negligible.” He characterized the center as a “Force Multiplier” to support President Trump’s initiatives.
The facility’s annual operational cost is approximately $450 million, supplemented by reimbursements from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
As legal proceedings unfold regarding the injunction, construction continues at the site. The lawsuit includes several officials, such as the Secretary of Homeland Security, the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and others from Miami-Dade County.
Officials from Florida’s Emergency Management and ICE did not provide immediate comments on the matter.
Miami-Dade County also couldn’t be reached for an immediate response.
