Florida immigration alligator alcatraz.

Former detainees are set to testify about conditions at a Florida immigration detention center known as “Alligator Alcatraz.” A federal judge is considering whether they have sufficient access to the legal system. Civil rights attorneys are seeking a temporary injunction to ensure detainees at the state-run Everglades facility have the same access to attorneys as those in federally-run centers. The lawsuit claims attorneys must schedule visits three days in advance, unlike other facilities where they can visit during hours. Delays have reportedly prevented detainees from meeting attorneys before key deadlines. The facility was built last summer by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration.

Attorneys are fighting for the legal rights of detainees at an immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades. They were meeting with state and federal government defendants in court on Thursday. This is the first meeting since a federal judge in a separate environmental lawsuit ordered operations at the facility, known as “Alligator Alcatraz,” to wind down. The legal rights lawsuit claims detainees have been denied the right to meet privately with their attorneys. The facility, built in the Everglades, was intended to aid deportation efforts. The state and federal governments have appealed the judge’s ruling and asked that it be put on hold.

Florida’s corrections agency and ICE updated an agreement on handling federal immigration detainees, but they did it more than a month after ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ opened. This update was made public Thursday in court documents. The facility built in the Florida Everglades has faced criticism for allegedly restricting detainees’ access to attorneys and immigration courts. A civil rights lawsuit has been filed, and a federal judge has ordered officials to clarify who has legal authority over detainees. Another judge in a separate lawsuit temporarily halted construction on Thursday while she considers whether it violates environmental laws. Florida claims detainees have had access to legal counsel.

A federal judge has ordered officials to produce agreements showing who has legal authority at “Alligator Alcatraz,” an immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades. The order, issued Monday, is part of a civil rights lawsuit claiming detainees’ rights are being violated. Officials must provide documents by Thursday. The facility was hastily constructed over a month ago. The lawsuit says detainees are being held without charges and are barred from meeting attorneys. Environmental groups have also sued over the facility, arguing the project didn’t follow environmental laws. The Archdiocese of Miami celebrated the first Mass at the center on Saturday.