Yet again, an appeals court is offering a reprieve to a decision that goes against the Ron DeSantis[1] administration..
The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals[2] has issued a preliminary injunction against a decision by Judge Kathleen Williams that would have required the state of Florida and Department of Homeland Security to shut down Alligator Alcatraz[3], a pre-deportation prison for suspected illegal immigrants, pending appeal[4].
After the favorable ruling, Gov. Ron DeSantis[5] and Attorney General James Uthmeier[6] trumpeted their vindication.
“Some leftist judge ruled implausibly that somehow Florida wasn’t allowed to use our own property to help the federal government in this important mission (because the state) didn’t do an environmental impact statement,” DeSantis said.
“Well, we said we would fight that, we said the mission would continue, and I’m pleased to say that the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals has just stayed that ruling and stayed the case. So alligator Alcatraz is in fact, like we’ve always said, open for business. The mission continues, and we’re going to continue leading the way when it comes to immigration enforcement.”
In a post to X, Uthmeier hailed the “win for Florida and President Trump’s agenda.”
“Victory secured against (an) activist judge who held me in contempt! The 11th Circuit not only blocked Judge Williams’ order to close Alligator Alcatraz, but they blocked her from proceeding with the case until the appeal is complete,” he declared.
Soon after, he said he knew there would be legal challenges, again invoking Donald Trump.
“Looking back at our initial proposal for Alligator Alcatraz, we knew the left would try to shut us down. But they failed. Great win for Florida and our mission to help President Trump detain, deport, and deliver for the American people.”
DeSantis also had harsh words for the press.
“The media was giddy that somehow Alligator Alcatraz was shutting down. And we told them that that wasn’t true. There have been illegal aliens continuing to be there and being removed and returned to their home country. But they ran with the narrative,” he said.
Lt. Gov. Jay Collins[7] also celebrated.
“Big win for Florida: Alligator Alcatraz stays open, powering our mission to lead deportation efforts and crack down on illegal immigration.”
Though state officials are excited that their pilot prison for undocumented immigrants received a favorable ruling, questions remain about its future use.
Independent journalist Jason Garcia notes that more than $350 million[8] in contracts have been signed.
The vendor-managed project was projected to cost $245 per bed, or $450 million a year, and was scheduled to be reimbursed from the Federal Emergency Management Agency[9]. Initial expectations were that 5,000 people would be housed in those swampland tents with makeshift air conditioning and improvised plumbing, but numbers have fallen far short of initial estimates.
An administration official[10], Department of Emergency Management Executive Director Kevin Guthrie[11], previously said the tent prison on the edge of the Everglades will soon have zero inmates.
The state also has at least two more facilities on deck, which will be supplemented by copycat clinks around the country.
Deportation Depot in Baker County has a capacity of 1,300 people. The newly announced Panhandle Pokey west of there will ultimately be able to house people as well.
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References
- ^ Ron DeSantis (x.com)
- ^ 11th Circuit Court of Appeals (www.ca11.uscourts.gov)
- ^ Alligator Alcatraz (floridapolitics.com)
- ^ pending appeal (www.cnn.com)
- ^ Ron DeSantis (x.com)
- ^ James Uthmeier (x.com)
- ^ Jay Collins (x.com)
- ^ more than $350 million (jasongarcia.substack.com)
- ^ Federal Emergency Management Agency (www.fema.gov)
- ^ administration official (floridapolitics.com)
- ^ Kevin Guthrie (floridapolitics.com)