Move puts on hold federal judge’s order last month to close Florida immigration facility
An appellate panel on Thursday put on hold an order to wind down operations at the “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration center in the Florida Everglades, allowing its construction and operation to continue.
Last month, a federal judge in Miami ordered the closure of the Trump administration’s notorious immigration jail within 60 days, and ruled that no more detainees were to be brought to the facility while it was being wound down.
That shock ruling by district court judge Kathleen Williams built on a temporary restraining order she had issued two weeks previously, halting further construction work at the remote tented camp, which has attracted waves of criticism for harsh conditions, abuse of detainees and denial of due process as they await deportation, as well as environmental damage.
The state of Florida, which funded and built the hastily erected camp and runs it on behalf of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) agency, then appealed.
