Miccosukee Tribe Won a Battle Against Alligator Alcatraz, But the War Isn’t Over
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The Miccosukee Tribe makes its home in the Florida Everglades, where a tribal village sits only a few miles from the federal immigration detention center called “Alligator Alcatraz.” Residents for weeks have lived with vehicles coming and going around the clock, stadium lights illuminating the once dark nighttime sky, and the facility restricting access to the game they rely on for food.
That is no longer the case.
A federal judge has ordered the U.S. government to stop sending detainees to the facility and begin dismantling it within 60 days. In making her ruling, Judge Kathleen Williams sided with the tribe and environmentalists who argued that state and federal officials violated a federal law that requires an environmental review before proceeding with any federal construction project. The judge’s order also prohibits further construction at the site.
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The judge granted the preliminary injunction sought by the tribe and a coalition of environmental organizations. Although the litigation will continue — Florida, which is managing the center on behalf of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, plans to appeal — tribal leaders hailed the decision and vowed to continue fighting to protect their land.
“We........
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