11th Circuit Overturns Injunction, Allows 'Alligator Alcatraz' Everglades Detention Facility to Remain Open

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit vacated a preliminary injunction on April 21, 2026, allowing ICE's controversial 'Alligator Alcatraz' detention facility in South Florida to remain open while environmental litigation continues. The lower court had halted construction and operation of the facility — a converted warehouse located in an environmentally sensitive area near the Florida Everglades — after finding federal agencies including ICE and DHS had bypassed legally required environmental impact review processes. The 11th Circuit ruled the district court 'abused its discretion' in granting the injunction, sending the case back to district court. Environmental plaintiffs — Friends of the Everglades, Center for Biological Diversity, and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida — had argued the facility's construction without proper review violated the National Environmental Policy Act and endangered the Everglades ecosystem. The facility, which can hold up to 1,500 detainees, has been informally dubbed 'Alligator Alcatraz' by critics due to its Everglades location and harsh conditions. A separate federal ruling had previously ordered ICE to provide detainees at the facility with confidential access to legal counsel. The 11th Circuit ruling is a significant legal victory for the Trump administration's detention expansion agenda.