07/18/2025
Please stop calling it “Alligator Alcatraz.”
That phrase might sound catchy, but it’s deeply disrespectful to the alligators and to the Everglades itself. It plays right into the hands of those trying to turn a sacred, wild place into a prison.
Words matter and this one fuels the wrong narrative.
We’re asking the public and the press to call it what it is: a immigrant detention center at the Jetport site in Big Cypress National Preserve.
Let’s honor the land and the wildlife that call it home by speaking about it with truth and respect.
Please share this message. Help us shift the conversation and protect Big Cypress with the respect it deserves.
🚨 Environmental Law Violations
1. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
• What’s required: A detailed environmental impact assessment with public review before any major federal/state project in sensitive areas.
• Allegation: The facility was built in the Big Cypress National Preserve without any NEPA review or opportunity for public comment .
2. Clean Water Act
• What’s required: Permits are needed before altering wetlands or discharging pollutants into protected waters.
• Allegation: Environmental groups warned that water and sewer infrastructure installed in the swamp likely violated the Act ().
3. Endangered Species Act
• What’s required: Projects in areas where protected species may be harmed must undergo consultation and mitigation planning.
• Allegation: Built near habitat for Florida panthers, alligators, and other wildlife—without necessary reviews .
4. National Park Service Organic Act
• What’s required: Protects national parks and preserves from significant changes without oversight.
• Allegation: Contravenes the preservation mandate by constructing a detention center on lands protected under Big Cypress/ Everglades rules .