Judge Declares End of Controversial Immigration Detention Center
A late-hour decision by a federal judge in Miami has mandated the shutdown of a highly controversial immigration detention facility within two months. The judge also instructed an immediate halt to any new arrivals at the center while it's in the process of shutting down.
This surprise ruling expands on a temporary restraining order from two weeks prior, which stopped any further construction work at the remote encampment. This detention center has been the target of intense criticism due to its harsh conditions, mistreatment of detainees, and denial of due process for immigrants awaiting deportation.
Protecting the Environment
The judge's comprehensive 82-page order, which came to light on Friday, acknowledged that the center was inflicting serious and irreparable harm on the delicate Florida Everglades ecosystem. The judge also mentioned a past plan to transform the detention center's location into a large-scale tourist airport, a proposal that was shot down in the 1960s to prevent environmental damage.
She wrote, "Since then, every governor and senator from Florida, along with numerous local and national political figures, including presidents, have expressed their strong support for the Everglades' restoration, conservation, and protection. This order simply enforces the fundamental requirements of legislation intended to fulfill those promises."
The judge ruled that there will be no additional construction at the site, and the number of detainees currently held there, estimated around 700, must not increase. After the two-month period, every piece of construction material, fences, generators, and fixtures that contributed to the site's use as a detention camp must be removed.
A Victory for Environmental Advocates
This decision marks a major win for a group of environmental organizations and a native American tribe that took legal action against the state of Florida and the federal government. The judge agreed that the rushed, eight-day construction of the jail in late June had a detrimental effect on the sensitive wetlands of a national preserve and put federally protected species at further risk.
"This is a significant triumph for the Everglades and numerous Americans who believe this endangered wilderness should be preserved, not exploited", stated Eve Samples, head of one of the groups who filed the lawsuit. "It sends a clear message that environmental laws must be respected by our government's top leaders, and there are consequences for disregarding them."
The coalition is planning a press conference on Friday morning to discuss the ruling in more detail.
Setback for Detention and Deportation Policies
On the flip side, this ruling is a setback for the detention and deportation agenda. The president had touted the camp, which recently held as many as 1,400 detainees, as a jail for "some of the most vicious people on the planet", even though several of those detained there have no criminal record or ongoing criminal proceedings against them.
There was no immediate response to the judge's ruling from the Florida department that operates the jail for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (Ice) or from the Department of Homeland Security.
However, state lawyers informed the judge in court last week that they would appeal any ruling against them. Moreover, hundreds of detainees were transferred from the detention center to other immigration facilities over the weekend, anticipating that the judge would order its closure.