Goodbye Gator Gitmo?

Much of convicted felon Donald Trump's controversial migrant detention center in Florida must be dismantled, and no more migrants should be taken there, a judge has ruled.  The ruling stated that the facility was causing severe environmental damage to the Florida Everglades - a UNESCO World Heritage Site - and gave the Trump administration 60 days to wind down its operations.  The judge issued a preliminary injunction, which temporarily restricts operations at the facility while a lawsuit brought by environmental groups against it is heard.  The state of Florida, which is partnering with the Trump administration in the building of the site, has already filed an appeal.

The 82-page ruling said no more detainees could be brought to the center and it prohibited any new construction work or expansion at the site.  The decision is a major legal blow to Trump's plans for the center, which has attracted widespread criticism for allegedly harsh conditions and potential harm to the local ecosystem.

In the ruling, District Court Judge Kathleen Williams, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, said the facility was causing irreparable harm to the Florida Everglades and its endangered species.  She also ordered the shutdown of "all generators, gas, sewage, and other waste receptors", which would greatly affect the center's ability to operate.

Judge Williams cited a 1960's plan to build a tourist airport in the Everglades that was rejected due to fears of the environmental harms it could cause.  "Since that time, every Florida governor, every Florida senator, and countless local and national political figures, including presidents, have publicly pledged their unequivocal support for the restoration, conservation, and protection of the Everglades," she wrote.  "This order does nothing more than uphold the basic requirements of legislation designed to fulfill those promises."

Environmental groups that mounted the legal challenge welcomed the ruling.  "This is a landmark victory for the Everglades and countless Americans who believe this imperiled wilderness should be protected, not exploited," said Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglades. "It sends a clear message that environmental laws must be respected by leaders at the highest levels of our government - and there are consequences for ignoring them."

The facility was designed to hold 3,000 detainees and touted as a model for future detention centers that would support the Trump administration's deportation agenda.  But since starting operation, the site has been the subject of multiple lawsuits and complaints by environmental campaigners and local residents. Experts previously warned the damage to area wetlands and endangered species could undo the Florida's massive effort to restore the Everglades, which has cost the state billions of dollars.