Judge orders closure of Trump’s controversial Florida migrant detention centre

A US federal judge has ordered the closure of President Donald Trump’s controversial migrant detention centre in Florida, known locally as “Alligator Alcatraz,” ruling that the facility is causing severe and irreversible environmental damage to the Everglades.

In a stinging 82-page decision issued Thursday, District Court Judge Kathleen Williams, an Obama-era appointee, said the detention centre was inflicting “irreparable harm” on the fragile wetlands ecosystem, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is home to dozens of endangered species.

The ruling gives the Trump administration 60 days to wind down operations at the site and forbids any new detainees from being transferred there. It also bans further construction or expansion, effectively halting the project.

The decision represents a major setback for Trump’s immigration agenda, which has faced widespread criticism for its reliance on large-scale detention facilities.

The Florida site, in particular, has drawn condemnation not only for its harsh living conditions but also for the risk it poses to the Everglades’ delicate environment.

The state of Florida, which partnered with the federal government on the facility, has already filed an appeal. State officials argue that the centre is essential to federal immigration enforcement efforts, while environmental advocates have hailed the ruling as a landmark victory.

“The Everglades is a unique and irreplaceable ecosystem,” Judge Williams wrote in her ruling.

“No administrative goal, however pressing, can justify its destruction.”

The closure order now places Trump’s broader detention strategy under renewed scrutiny, as environmental groups and migrant rights advocates prepare to challenge similar projects elsewhere in the country.