The Everglades immigrant internment camp is a testament to cruelty, waste, and corruption. It needs to be closed. Thanks to pressure by fellow Democrats in our Congressional delegation and legal plaintiffs — like the Miccosukee Tribe, Friends of the Everglades, and the Center for Biological Diversity — a judge has agreed that this grotesque political stunt should be shut down. Read more »
Brushing aside concerns from human rights watchdogs, environmentalist groups, and Tribal nations, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has greenlit the construction of this expansive detention facility that may violate detained individuals’ human rights, jeopardize public and environmental health, and violate federal law. Read more »
“Trump and Ron DeSantis have exploited legal ambiguity around this Everglades internment camp to avoid any scrutiny of abuses there,” said 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.” Read more »
“There are really disturbing, vile conditions. This place needs to be shut the hell down,” said Rep. Wasserman Schultz following the tour. “This place is a stunt and they’re abusing human beings here.” Read more »
“As Members of Congress, we were planning an unannounced oversight visit of this Everglades detention facility. Today, we received notice from the state announcing its own planned ‘tour’ at the same time, on the same day. We do not need permission to conduct lawful oversight. Read more »
DeSantis’ internment camp puts decades of massive restoration and billions of dollars in Everglades investments at risk. It desecrates the tribal lands it sits upon and wastes hundreds of millions of state funding at a grossly inflated cost. Read more »
"We are seriously concerned about the future treatment of immigrants at this facility. It is also important that we uplift grave concerns over the environmental and tribal impacts of your decision.” Read more »
“I just saw inhumane, overcrowded conditions inside Krome Detention Center in Miami, where detainees recently died. Yet ICE refuses to release data on who is being held and why,” said Rep. Wasserman Schultz. “Nearly half the people in Krome have no criminal record. Now, Trump wants to cram hundreds of thousands of lawful TPS and humanitarian parole recipients into these facilities while DHS shuts out essential watchdogs that defend civil rights and due process everyone deserves. I'm proud to help lead this legislation to restore transparency and humanity to Trump’s lawless policies that tear apart families and terrorize our communities.” Read more »
“Amici, as members of Congress, are keenly aware of the critical role that separation of powers plays in our constitutional democracy as a means to safeguard against the concentration of power within a single government branch,” said the Members in the brief’s introduction and summary. “Separation of powers … obligates the Judiciary to not shy from its duty to prevent Executive Branch overreach that upsets the carefully calibrated role each co-equal branch plays in our constitutional democracy.” Read more »
