The Miccosukee Tribe Fought Trump, Won, and Shut Down Alligator Alcatraz

The Alligator Alcatraz detention center was built in just eight days, bypassing all environmental checks. Using infrastructure similar to the temporary ones used during natural disasters, the goal was simple: make a statement against immigration that would highlight a whole chapter in American history textbooks. The Miccosukee Tribe, which is indigenous to the Everglades, joined environmental groups and argued in court that the site violates ecological laws and damages sacred land.

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They won, and a federal judge ordered the closure of Alligator Alcatraz within 60 days due to environmental law violations. Florida has challenged the ruling, but the win will go down in resistance history.

The Miccosukee have lived there for hundreds of years and have a deeply sacred connection to the land. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis doesn’t care, though, as he assured last Friday that he will continue to defend the existence of Alligator Alcatraz regardless of the federal judge’s ruling.

For most of the past 120 years, Florida’s indigenous peoples have fought tooth and nail against relocation. The swamps were their safe haven; the U.S. army struggled to work in the Everglades while trying to move their men, weaponry, and supplies. If it weren’t for them refuging in the swamps, they would have had to relocate to the Gulf of New Orleans, and caught up to the “Trail of Tears” where other indigenous peoples were forced to migrate in harsh, deadly conditions to Oklahoma.

In order to win this case in court, they provided a map of the tree islands for evidence, with witnesses warning that the detention center directly threatens 80% of the tribe’s homes, two schools, and the tribal government building. The wastewater could contaminate wetlands and impact the region’s water supply, as well as endangering species that inhabit the area.

The Miccosukee tribe is not new to legal fights with the government for tribal sovereignty, environmental law, and the taxation of Native Americans. In 1982, the tribe sued Florida for illegal land grabs, and in 2004, they challenged Miami’s pumping sewage into the Everglades. They follow strict environmental standards when building infrastructure, and construction of any new building usually takes years. So you can imagine how catastrophic a phony detention center built in a couple of days is to the area and the people who live there.

In the end, the battle over Alligator Alcatraz is more than a legal victory; it's a reminder of the long, ongoing struggle for indigenous rights, environmental justice, and respect for sacred lands. The Miccosukee Tribe’s successful resistance highlights their deep-rooted connection to the Everglades and their unwavering commitment to protecting it, not just for themselves but for future generations.

While Florida and national officials may continue to push back, the court's ruling affirms that even in the face of political agendas and rapid, reckless development, the law and the land can still be defended.

This moment will be remembered not just as a fight against a detention center, but as a stand for sovereignty, survival, and the sacred.