Friends of the Everglades filed suit against the Florida Division of Emergency Management, alleging the agency is withholding public records tied to the state’s Everglades immigration detention center, nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz,” according to court records obtained by Local 10 News.
The lawsuit, which was filed in Leon County Circuit Court on Tuesday, claims FDEM has failed to disclose financial arrangements with the federal government, in violation of Florida’s Government-in-the-Sunshine Act.
The complaint says Friends of the Everglades, represented by Earthjustice and attorney Paul Schwiep of Coffey Burlington, submitted public records requests to FDEM on June 24 seeking information about the construction and operation of the detention center at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in the Big Cypress National Preserve.
The group specifically requested communications with federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and FEMA, as well as any grant applications or funding documents related to the center.
According to the complaint, FDEM initially claimed no records existed, later produced incomplete documents, and has repeatedly failed to provide the requested federal funding records.
“FDEM has not reasonably responded to Plaintiff’s simple request for documents that are readily identifiable and obtainable public records under the Act,” the complaint states. “This matter is of great public concern as it involves the expenditure of hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars, and is time-sensitive, as the records relate to FDEM’s authority to operate a federal immigration center and its related legal obligations. Immediate relief should be provided.”
The detention center, which began construction June 23 and admitted its first detainees on July 3, was initially estimated by DHS to cost $450 million for one year.
Local 10 News previously reported that Florida applied for FEMA reimbursement on Aug. 7 and was awarded $608 million — funds that state officials say would cover construction and operations for Alligator Alcatraz and a second state-run facility, “Deportation Depot,” in Sanderson. A third center, dubbed the “Panhandle Pokey,” is also planned.
The lawsuit highlights a discrepancy in federal court proceedings challenging FDEM’s environmental compliance.
In a separate federal lawsuit under the National Environmental Policy Act, FDEM argued there was no federal involvement requiring environmental review.
Courts issued a preliminary injunction on Aug. 21 to halt facility operations until environmental reviews were conducted, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit later stayed that injunction on Sept. 4, citing the belief that Florida had not yet applied for federal funding — a claim the complaint says was inaccurate.
The complaint notes that, as of Oct. 10, FDEM had acknowledged only a single email confirming the August 7 FEMA grant application and has not produced the full grant documents or award.
Friends of the Everglades says the delay prevents the public from understanding how taxpayer money is being spent on the center, which the lawsuit describes as a “mass immigration detention center.”
The group argues that Florida’s Constitution and the Public Records Act guarantee citizens the right to inspect or copy public records “made or received in connection with the official business of any public body.” Failure to comply, the complaint states, entitles plaintiffs to attorney fees and immediate relief from the court.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis shared Local 10 News’ reporting on the FEMA reimbursement earlier this month, writing on X that the story confirmed “another bogus narrative bites the dust,” and emphasizing that the state had been reimbursed in full.
Another bogus narrative bites the dust.
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) October 2, 2025
I said all along that we would be reimbursed. https://t.co/6uWkR3P7f4
The latest legal action reflects ongoing tensions over transparency, environmental compliance, and the use of hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars for the controversial facility.
Read the full lawsuit here:
Copyright 2025 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.
