Appeals Court Overturns Closure of Alligator Alcatraz, But Best Part Was How They Humiliated Angry Hippies and Their Lawyers
U.S. District Judge kathleen Williams ordered the closure of the Alligator Alcatraz detention facility in the Florida Everglades, expecting a reduction in inmate numbers and removal of infrastructure over 60 days. However, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of appeals has temporarily stayed this order pending appeal. The closure decision followed a lawsuit by environmentalists and the Miccosukee Tribe,concerned about environmental harm to the Everglades. The appeals court criticized the basis of the lawsuit and the judge’s reasoning, noting that the site was previously a busy airport with significant light and noise pollution, which were not adequately considered. The Department of Homeland Security stated the lawsuit was politically motivated to obstruct law enforcement efforts against criminal undocumented immigrants.Critics argue that Judge Williams, appointed during the Obama administration, is biased against the Trump administration’s policies.
After U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams shut down Alligator Alcatraz in the Florida Everglades last month, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has paused the order.
Williams had stated in her order that she expected the number of inmates to decline at the facility in the next 60 days, with many being transferred to other prisons, WOFL reported. After that, generators along with fencing and lighting were expected to be taken away from the detention facility.
The lawsuit prompting Williams’ ruling came from environmentalists and the Miccosukee Tribe, who claimed the facility could negatively impact the environment in the Florida Everglades.
On Wednesday, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a written opinion for their 2-1 decision. Some of the text made the rounds via social media platform X, noting the absurdity of the environmental activists’ lawsuit’s reasoning.
4/4 The pretzel posture of the judges rightly leave the appellate court skeptical of all of their reasoning! pic.twitter.com/n0ILZZ8TIS
— Margot Cleveland (@ProfMJCleveland) September 4, 2025
“After careful consideration we GRANT the Defendants’ motions, and we STAY the preliminary injunction and the underlying case itself pending appeal,” the court wrote.
They then targeted the content of the lawsuit and Williams’ order.
“The district court specifically noted ‘light pollution affecting members’ ability to observe the night skies’ and ‘noise pollution impacting members’ ability to observe and interact with wildlife.’
“In reaching this conclusion, the district court did not mention that, although located in the Big Cypress Reserve near the Everglades, the Site was a working airport with close to 28,000 landings and takeoffs in the prior six months alone, bright lights kept on ’24/7,’ and a lack of noise abatement requirements before the sites conversion to a detention center.”
So the activists and judges failed to mention that the Trump administration and Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis did not just drop a prison in the middle of the Everglades, selecting a random location.
The site was home to an airport.
The lawsuit now looks even more ridiculous.
The Department of Homeland Security commented on the Court of Appeals’ decision, per Reuters.
“This lawsuit was never about the environmental impacts of turning a developed airport into a detention facility,
“It has and will always be about open borders activists and judges trying to keep law enforcement from removing dangerous criminal aliens from our communities, full stop.”
This raises the question of how to address activist judges like Williams.
She was appointed under the Obama Administration in 2011 and clearly cares more about stopping the Trump Administration than honestly applying the rule of law.
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
