The Florida migrant detention center known as “Alligator Alcatraz” is being operated illegally by state employees holding immigrants “off the grid,” according to a lawsuit filed Friday by the American Civil Liberties Union.
The filing came just hours after a separate judge ordered the facility dismantled. The ACLU sued several Florida agencies involved in the camp’s operation, alleging violations of federal laws that strictly limit state involvement in immigration enforcement.
The group argued that the camp in Ochopee, Florida, bypasses federal oversight and detains people outside established legal protections. The lawsuit names multiple state entities as defendants and contends they are unlawfully running the facility without federal authorization.
The case adds new legal pressure to a detention site that has already drawn national attention, as critics argue its existence undermines constitutional rights and established federal authority over immigration enforcement.
The ACLU said the lawsuit seeks immediate federal intervention to end the facility’s operation and prevent further detentions outside the bounds of the law.
