June 17, 2026
Statement from Friends of the Everglades Executive Director Eve Samples on detainees being removed from “Alligator Alcatraz:”
“‘Alligator Alcatraz’ will go down as one of the biggest policy failures in American history. Our government failed to protect the Everglades and failed to follow basic environmental laws — while racking up an estimated $1 billion tab paid by taxpayers.
Friends of the Everglades and our many allies have fought for a full year to hold the state and federal government accountable for this assault, and this week’s news shows the pressure worked. But the work is not done.
ICE’s decision to remove detainees, if true, is overdue and welcome news, yet threats to the Everglades persist. We will not stop fighting until this makeshift prison permanently closes and all the harm is remediated. That harm includes 20 acres of new pavement, removal of habitat for the endangered Florida panther, and high-intensity lighting installed in a renowned dark-sky area.
As of today, heavy traffic continues to move in and out of the site that’s completely encircled by Big Cypress National Preserve. Equipment and lighting remain in use, and hazardous materials are moving on and off the property within Big Cypress National Preserve. The government has been coy about future plans but does not appear to be taking definitive steps to abandon the site.
Our lawsuit is on track to return to federal court this month, and our claims are urgent as ever.
Marjory Stoneman Douglas founded Friends of the Everglades in 1969 to protect this very site from reckless development. Working with diverse allies, we successfully protected Big Cypress back then — a victory that gave rise to the creation of Big Cypress National Preserve and the passage of the National Environmental Policy Act.
We are resolute in our commitment to protect Big Cypress again.”
—Eve Samples, Friends of the Everglades Executive Director
