DeSantis Vows Appeal After Barack Obama Judge Blocks Alligator Alcatraz Facility Expansion [WATCH]

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis pledged to fight back after a federal judge issued an order blocking the expansion of the state’s large immigrant detention facility known as “Alligator Alcatraz” in the Everglades, as reported by The Western Journal.

On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams formally issued a preliminary injunction halting the project.

Two weeks earlier, Williams had already ordered a temporary pause, but her latest ruling solidified the block and prohibited the facility from accepting any additional detainees.

Trump’s Sovereign Wealth Fund: What Could It Mean For Your Money?

The decision followed a lawsuit brought by environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe, according to the Tampa Bay Times. In her ruling, Williams pointed to longstanding bipartisan commitments to Everglades restoration.

“For decades, 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,” Williams wrote, according to CBS News.

“This Order does nothing more than uphold the basic requirements of legislation designed to fulfill those promises.”

DeSantis, however, said he had anticipated the setback.

“We totally expected an adverse ruling. And we also knew we were going to immediately appeal and get that decision stayed. So we will ultimately be successful in this. It’s not going to stop our resolve.”

This Could Be the Most Important Video Gun Owners Watch All Year

[esi random_video_player ttl=”0″]

The Florida Division of Emergency Management, which oversees the camp’s operations, filed an intent to appeal the ruling in the Eleventh Circuit Court. As of Thursday, a docket number had not yet been assigned to the case.

Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, also criticized the court’s decision.

“This ruling from an activist judge ignores the fact that this land has already been developed for a decade,” McLaughlin said, according to CBS News.

“It is another attempt to prevent the President from fulfilling the American people’s mandate to remove the worst of the worst including gang members, murderers, pedophiles, terrorists, and rapists from our country.”

DeSantis reiterated that the state would continue to work in coordination with President Trump’s administration to enforce immigration laws.

“We’re going to continue to do what we need to do to help the Trump administration remove illegal aliens from our country. You know, that’s the mandate that they have,” he told Fox News. “So we anticipated this, but I don’t think it’s going to be insurmountable in the end.”

These judges are ignoring the SCOTUS …. no one should listen to the appointed clown shows anymore

BREAKING: Governor Ron DeSantis just announced the deportations WILL CONTINUE at Alligator Alcatraz after an activist judge ordered they start shutting the facility down.

“We’re… pic.twitter.com/HB81GM0epR

— JB Slear (@JB_Slear) August 22, 2025

The injunction adds another legal challenge to one of the nation’s most high-profile immigration detention facilities, as Florida prepares to press its case at the appeals court level.

The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of LifeZette. Contact us for guidelines on submitting your own commentary.