Officials withheld evidence on Florida's 'Alligator Alcatraz' funding, environmental groups say
abcnews.go.com••nation
Key Points:
- Federal and state officials withheld evidence showing the Department of Homeland Security had agreed to reimburse Florida for costs related to constructing the Everglades immigration detention center, known as "Alligator Alcatraz," according to environmental groups suing to close the facility.
- An appellate court relied on claims that Florida had not applied for federal reimbursement, thus not triggering federal environmental law requirements, but new documents reveal FEMA had received a grant application and approved $608 million in funding by late September.
- Environmental groups argue the withheld evidence demonstrates close federal-state collaboration from the start and should be considered as an appellate panel reviews the facility's future after temporarily blocking a lower court order to close it.
- A federal judge had ordered the facility to wind down operations in
