Federal authorities have confirmed that Florida has received $608 million to cover the costs of constructing and operating an immigration detention center in the Everglades.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security stated that Florida’s reimbursement request was fully granted.
This reimbursement comes after a Miami judge sided with environmental groups who argued that the site, before its conversion into a detention center, did not undergo a proper environmental review. The judge initially ordered the facility to cease operations.
However, an appellate court panel in Atlanta temporarily blocked the judge’s order, stating that a federal environmental impact study wasn’t necessary since Florida hadn’t yet received federal funds for the project. The appellate panel suggested that an environmental impact statement might be needed if federal funds were approved.
The appellate panel’s decision allowed the detention center to remain open.
Former President Donald Trump visited the facility in July and praised it as a potential model for future detention centers, as his administration aimed to expand infrastructure to support increased deportations.
Environmental groups, who had sued the federal and state governments, argue that the reimbursement confirms the facility was always intended as a federal project. They insist that a complete environmental review is required by federal law.
