“The media was giddy that somehow Alligator Alcatraz was, quote ,shutting down, and we told them that that wasn’t true,” DeSantis remarked in a video posted to X. “There have been illegal aliens continuing to be there and being removed and returned to their home country. But they ran with the narrative because some leftist judge ruled implausibly that somehow Florida wasn’t allowed to use our own property to help the federal government in this important mission, because they didn’t do an environmental impact statement.”

DeSantis added that the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals had stayed the ruling, saying, “Alligator Alcatraz is, in fact, like we’ve always said, open for business. The mission continues, and we’re going to continue leading the way when it comes to immigration enforcement.”

The decision comes after U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams issued a preliminary injunction in August that blocked the facility from expanding further, citing environmental concerns. Environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe argued that the project threatened sensitive wetlands and bypassed federal environmental impact studies. Williams ordered fencing, lighting, and generators removed and limited new detainee intake, while allowing safety-related repairs.