Alligator Alcatraz

His case was one of three federal lawsuits challenging practices at the immigration detention center that was built this summer in the Florida Everglades..

Environmental groups claim federal and state officials withheld evidence about funding for an immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades.

From a decades-old environmental clash to a centennial art celebration, a quirky state bird debate and a frosty escape, "Florida Matters Live & Local" guests touch on our state's history, culture and more.

The fight against the Everglades' immigration detention center is not the first time the land has been at the heart of environmental controversy.

The battle to prevent the Everglades Jetport may have influenced some important laws and events aimed at protecting the environment, wildlife, and parks.

In the 1960s, a proposal was made to build the world's largest jetport in the heart of the Everglades. It was a battle fought and won by environmentalists — leaving a single runway as a lasting reminder.

Activist Marjory Stoneman Douglas formed Friends of the Everglades to fight against a proposed jetport in the late 1960s. Now, the group is involved in a lawsuit over development on that same property.

The immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades has been embroiled in controversy even before it opened last summer. But a key component is how environmentalists are fighting to shut it down.

The circuit judge wrote that the laws allow access to facilities such as state prisons and county jails — but not to the immigrant-detention center run by the state.

In a statement Wednesday, Tribe Chairman Talbert Cypress said the legislation Trump vetoed had widespread support and was crucial to safeguarding the environment.

Among other bills, Trump rejected legislation that would have given the Miccosukees more control over some of their land. The tribe was among groups suing the administration over "Alligator Alcatraz."

"Alligator Alcatraz." Guns. Social media. Legal battles about those and myriad other issues remain unresolved heading into 2026. Here are 10 big legal issues to watch for.