Judge seeks settlement in ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ civil rights lawsuit

A federal judge has called for a settlement conference in December to resolve a lawsuit over detainees’ legal access at a controversial Florida immigration facility nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz.”

U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell scheduled the meeting for December 16-17 in her Fort Myers courtroom, expressing optimism about the parties reaching an agreement. “I think we’re closer on a lot of issues than we were before,” Polster Chappell said during Monday’s status hearing.

The case centers on whether detainees at the remote Everglades detention center have adequate access to legal representation. Civil rights attorneys, including those from the American Civil Liberties Union, are seeking a preliminary injunction to improve communication between detainees and their lawyers.

ACLU attorney Eunice Cho highlighted significant barriers to legal access, explaining that attorneys must schedule appointments three days in advance—a requirement not typical at other detention facilities where lawyers can visit during regular hours. Cho also noted that detainees are frequently transferred to other facilities after appointments have been arranged, and scheduling delays often cause detainees to miss critical legal deadlines.

The detention center, built last summer at a remote airstrip in the Everglades under Republican Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration, has faced criticism for its isolated location. Its remote setting has earned it the “Alligator Alcatraz” moniker among critics and immigration advocates.

Nicholas J.P. Meros, representing the state of Florida, countered that most concerns raised by detainees and their attorneys have already been addressed. He attributed previous delays to the logistical challenges of constructing a facility for thousands of detainees in a remote area with minimal infrastructure.

This legal challenge is one of three federal cases involving the controversial facility. In a separate environmental lawsuit, a federal appellate court panel recently allowed the center to continue operating, putting on hold a lower court’s preliminary injunction that had ordered the facility to wind down operations by the end of October.

A third lawsuit challenges the very authority of Florida to operate such a facility, arguing that immigration enforcement falls under federal jurisdiction, not state control. The suit contends that Florida agencies and private contractors hired by the state lack the legal authority to run an immigration detention center.

The facility gained national attention when former President Donald Trump toured it in July, suggesting it could serve as a template for future immigration detention centers nationwide as part of his administration’s push to expand deportation capabilities. Despite being built and operated by Florida and its contractors, the facility has received federal approval for reimbursement totaling $608 million.

The December settlement conference will attempt to balance the state’s operational concerns with ensuring detainees have proper access to legal representation—a critical component of due process in immigration proceedings. Judge Polster Chappell expressed hope that the parties can reach an agreement that won’t be “overly burdensome on the defendants but also will allow the plaintiffs to have the rights that they deserve.”

The outcome of this case could have significant implications for immigration detention practices nationwide, particularly as states increasingly seek to play a role in immigration enforcement traditionally reserved for federal authorities. It also highlights ongoing tensions between federal immigration policies and state-level initiatives in a politically divisive area of law and governance.