Federal officials on Friday confirmed that Florida has been reimbursed $608 million for the costs of building and running an immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades, exposing the facility to the risk of being ordered to close for a second time.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced that Florida was awarded its complete reimbursement request. This funds re-initiate discussions surrounding the facility's operational future due to a prior federal judge's injunction that deemed adequate environmental reviews were not conducted before its establishment.
The injunction was previously paused by an appellate court panel in Atlanta, which ruled that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was not required prior to Florida receiving federal funds for the project.
If subsequent approval is issued regarding reimbursement, an EIS may still be necessary, the three-judge panel stated. The current appellate decision has temporarily halted steps toward winding down operations at the detention center.
President Donald Trump had previously visited the facility, commenting on its potential as a model for future detention operations, which aligns with ongoing administration efforts to enhance deportation activities.
Environmental groups, who filed the initial lawsuit against the federal and state governments, argued the reimbursement confirms that federal involvement is significant, enforcing a requirement for a complete review process as mandated by environmental law.
Elise Bennett, a director at the Center for Biological Diversity, emphasized the nature of the project as federally funded and called efforts to prevent its establishment lawless and destructive.
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