Federal Judge Recuses Himself In Lawsuit Against Everglades Immigrant Detention Center

By Jackie Llanos, Florida Phoenix

July 17, 2025

The U.S. trial judge assigned to the lawsuit to halt the state-run immigrant detention center in the Everglades recused himself on Wednesday, nearly three weeks after environmental groups asked the court to intervene.

Jose Martinez of the Southern District of Florida was supposed to preside over the litigation from environmental groups alleging that construction of the detention center violates a federal law requiring analysis of potential harms and that the state and federal governments proceeded without public input.

The George W. Bush-appointed judge filed an order Wednesday, citing the federal statute outlining the circumstances under which federal judges must disqualify themselves from a case. He hadn’t taken action despite the Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity’s request on June 27 that he issue a temporary restraining order to stop the detention center located at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport.

Elise Bennett, an attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity, told Florida Phoenix that the suit had been reassigned to U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams.

“This appalling situation needs immediate attention, and we’re hopeful Judge Williams will move quickly to review the case and rule on our motion to enjoin construction and operations at this cruel detention center,” Bennett wrote to the Phoenix.

The groups had asked Martinez to take action by Friday after submitting multiple declarations and photographs about the new pavement in the environmentally fragile site.

Most recently, Williams, an Obama appointee, found Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier in civil contempt of court over another immigration-related suit, in which she barred the enforcement of the state’s illegal entry and re-entry laws. Williams repeatedly expressed frustration with Uthmeier’s disobedience of her order to bar arrests under the state law that led to the arrest of a U.S. citizen.

Since then, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Uthmeier have labeled Williams an activist judge. The governor appointed Uthmeier, his former chief of staff, to serve as the state’s top legal officer in February, after Ashley Moody’s ascension to the U.S. Senate.

The change in judges means that Williams could order a stop to the operation of the detention center that Uthmeier publicly announced and has used to boost his profile. The attorney general takes credit for naming of the detention center “Alligator Alcatraz,” which earned him praise from President Donald Trump.

Two days ago, the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida asked to join the lawsuit as a plaintiff. All of the tribe’s active ceremonial sites and 15 villages are located within the Big Cypress National Preserve, where the detention center is.

Meanwhile, the federal government is skirting responsibility for the detention center in its attempt to ward off the lawsuit, stating in court filings that the site is state-run and the federal government didn’t authorize it.

Another lawsuit surrounding the detention center is also delayed. The Florida Supreme Court transferred on Monday to the state trial court in Tallahassee Democratic lawmakers’ complaint seeking access to conduct oversight visits.

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