The No Cages in the Everglades Act is a legislative proposal designed to curb the operation of the controversial migrant detention camp known as "Alligator Alcatraz" located near the Everglades.

The No Cages in the Everglades Act bill would: 

• Prohibit DHS and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from contracting with, funding, or operating any immigration detention facility located in or adjacent to the Everglades.
• Prevent harm to sacred tribal lands, endangered wildlife, and the Everglades’ ecological balance — which are already under immense pressure. 
• Explicitly affirm Members of Congress’ right to inspect any facility holding federal immigration detainees, whether it’s owned or operated by the federal government, a state, or a private contractor. This ensures accountability and compliance with federal law.
• Require the Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General to investigate and report on the conditions, costs, and impacts of this facility including its effect on detainees, the environment, and nearby tribal lands, so Congress and the public get the full truth about what’s happening and whether any laws have been broken. 

In Favor

“Trump and Ron DeSantis have exploited legal ambiguity around this Everglades internment camp to avoid any scrutiny of abuses there,” said Rep. Wasserman Schultz. “Our bill would shut down this atrocity, strengthen oversight of detention facilities nationwide, and mandate public reporting on costs, conditions, and the treatment of detainees at this detention site, as well as report on any harms to the environment and nearby tribal lands. The public deserves the full truth about what’s happening in and around this facility and  they deserve accountability for any laws broken.”

“The Everglades Detention Center is a danger to federal agents, the Florida National Guard, ICE detainees, and others, as it is built on a flood plain and can only withstand a Category 2 hurricane,” said Rep. Soto. “ On top of that, ICE detaines are held in inhumane, crowded, hot, and unsanitary conditions—32 to a cage, 83-degree temperatures, non-functioning toilets, and mosquito-infested conditions. This facility should be shut down immediately.”

Opponents argue that limiting DHS and ICE’s ability to build or operate detention centers in specific areas weakens immigration enforcement capacity. With rising numbers of undocumented migrants, opponents say the federal government needs flexibility in siting detention facilities, especially in border or high-traffic states like Florida. This bill is about tying the hands of law enforcement, not protecting the environment. Opponents say defunding or shutting it down would mean wasting hundreds of millions in taxpayer money and jeopardizing ongoing operations. Opponents believe the bill hides a pro-immigration agenda under the guise of environmentalism—arguing that the real goal is to limit detention capacity and decriminalize illegal border crossings.

The Act could be seen as unconstitutionally interfering with federal authority over immigration and detention policy. The federal government traditionally has wide discretion on where it places facilities; critics may argue that barring one location could lead to a “not in my backyard” trend across other states.

Do you support H.R.4542, the No Cages in the Everglades Act?