Judge Halts Construction at Everglades Deportation Facility for Two Weeks

A federal judge has paused all new work at the Everglades immigrant detention facility for two weeks, citing legal and environmental concerns. The pause began August 7, 2025, and stops paving, lighting, and further expansion while the court reviews the case.

Judge Kathleen Williams issued the two-week temporary restraining order (TRO) after environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe said the state skipped key environmental reviews. The court will soon decide whether to extend the halt through a preliminary injunction.

What the order does right now

• Stops all new construction and infrastructure work for 14 days from August 7.
• Keeps the site at its current state, with capacity reported at 3,000 detainees and an aim to expand to 4,000.
• Preserves conditions on the ground while the court studies claims about environmental harms and legal compliance.

Who brought the lawsuit and why

• Plaintiffs: Friends of the Everglades, the Center for Biological Diversity, and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida.
• Claim: Officials failed to complete a required environmental impact study before building and expanding the site inside a sensitive area.
• Location context: The facility sits at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, surrounded by Big Cypress National Preserve, an area that supports endangered species and contains sacred tribal lands.

Key voices respond

• Eve Samples (Friends of the Everglades) welcomed the pause as protection for the ecosystem.
• Tania Galloni (Earthjustice) said she’s grateful the court halted further construction during hearings.
• Elise Bennett (Center for Biological Diversity) called the order a relief for the Everglades’ fragile environment and pledged to push to stop the project for good.
• Miccosukee Chairman Talbert Cypress warned the facility threatens sacred and environmentally sensitive lands, saying the order supports tribal rights and protection of their homeland.

How we got here

• Governor Ron DeSantis authorized the project under a 2023 emergency order linked to immigration enforcement.
• The site was rapidly developed in summer 2025, with the state supporting President Trump’s mass deportation policies.
• Environmental groups allege the state paved and filled previously unimproved land, widened roads, and installed bright lighting that harms “dark sky” conditions vital for wildlife.

What the state says

• State attorneys argue the facility supports immigration enforcement and meets legal requirements.
• They say any delays in attorney access were tied to the speed of construction, and that detainees now have both virtual and in-person access to legal counsel.

Parallel legal fight over attorney access

• A separate lawsuit by immigration-law groups and detainees claims the facility denied adequate access to lawyers.
• Plaintiffs seek class-action status and a preliminary injunction to improve access.
• The state counters that access issues have been fixed, pointing to virtual and in-person options.

Why this matters for people inside the facility

• Construction pauses for at least two weeks, but daily operations continue.
• Any changes to capacity or living conditions depend on future court orders.
• Lawyer access remains a live issue; if the judge grants relief, detainees could see clearer systems for calls, visits, and document sharing.
• Families, attorneys, and community groups should track court updates to plan visits and case work.

Environmental and tribal stakes

• The Big Cypress area supports endangered wildlife and holds cultural and spiritual value for the Miccosukee Tribe.
• Plaintiffs seek a full environmental impact study, a detailed review of how a project affects land, water, wildlife, and communities. Such studies typically include public comment and can lead to design changes or cancellation.
• The TRO reduces immediate harm from lighting, paving, and heavy equipment, but long-term outcomes depend on the next court decisions.

Important: The environmental review question sits at the center of the dispute. Its outcome could determine whether construction resumes, is altered, or is halted altogether.

What happens next

1. The court will consider the request for a preliminary injunction in the coming weeks.
2. If granted, the injunction could extend the halt while the case proceeds.
3. The court will weigh whether federal or state law required a full environmental impact study and whether it must be done now.
4. The attorney-access lawsuit may result in new rules for visits, calls, and private meetings.

What local communities should do now

• Attorneys:
  • Document any limits on calls, private rooms, or confidential document exchange.
  • If scheduling calls or video sessions, check updated facility procedures and keep records of delays.
• Families:
  • Stay in touch with legal teams.
  • Ask for clear time windows for calls and visit schedules, and note any barriers you face.
• Employers and sponsors:
  • Work with counsel on bond or parole options if applicable.
  • Track policy shifts that could change detention or release decisions.
• Community groups:
  • Collect firsthand reports about conditions, lighting, noise, and access issues—these records can support filings or policy reviews.

Official resources and where to check updates

• Court filings and orders appear on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida docket. The court’s site explains access to filings and procedures.
• For general federal court information, consult the U.S. Courts page on federal court operations at the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.
• Advocacy groups posting updates include Friends of the Everglades, Earthjustice, the Center for Biological Diversity, and the Miccosukee Tribe.
• For immigration forms and procedures, use official pages only. For example:
  • Attorneys may file Form EOIR-28 (appearance for counsel) with the immigration court — available on the Department of Justice site.
  • For release, attorneys may consider a parole request to ICE; there is no single standardized parole form published for all field offices.

Policy context and wider implications

• The TRO highlights how immigration enforcement choices can clash with environmental protection and tribal rights.
• If the court orders a full environmental impact study, the buildout could slow for months or longer, and design changes may be required to limit harm.
• If the state prevails, construction could resume, pushing capacity toward 4,000 and reshaping detention operations in South Florida.

A note on federal proceedings

• Immigration cases are civil, not criminal, but they carry high stakes for families.
• People can seek legal help from qualified attorneys and accredited representatives.
• The Department of Justice maintains a list of pro bono legal service providers for immigration court proceedings; see the DOJ’s official roster on its website.
• As reported by VisaVerge.com, court interventions like TROs often lead to deeper reviews on environmental compliance and detainee rights, and can change timelines for government projects tied to immigration.

Practical takeaways

• All new construction at the Everglades site is paused through August 21 unless the court extends it.
• Watch for a ruling on the preliminary injunction, likely later this month.
• Families and attorneys should keep records of any access problems for the separate lawsuit.
• Environmental and tribal concerns are central to the case and could shape the facility’s future design or viability.

The coming hearings will decide whether the pause continues. For now, the two-week TRO holds the line at the Everglades facility while the court weighs the law, the land, and people’s rights.