Judge seeks settlement in ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ civil rights lawsuit
November 24, 2025
A federal judge in Florida wants civil rights attorneys and lawyers for the U.S. and Florida to hammer out a settlement in a lawsuit over whether detainees at an immigration center in the Everglades are getting adequate access to attorneys. At a Monday status hearing, U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell set a conference for Dec. 16-17 in her Fort Myers courtroom. The lawsuit filed by detainees over legal access is one of three federal cases challenging practices at the immigration detention center known as “Alligator Alcatraz.” It was built this summer by the administration of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.