Florida appeals ruling that 'Alligator Alcatraz' must close within two months

The state of Florida has appealed against a federal judge's order that the harsh immigration jail in the Florida Everglades known as "Alligator Alcatraz" must close within the next two months, a ruling that pumps the brakes on Donald Trump's aggressive deportation agenda.

- Richard Luscombe

Kathleen Williams, a Miami district court judge, said state and federal authorities broke numerous environmental laws as they raced to build the tented facility at a disused airstrip in the fragile wetlands.

Since it opened in early July, touted by Trump as a base for "the most vicious people on the planet" awaiting deportation, "Alligator Alcatraz" has built a reputation for brutality. Detainees have reported "inhumane" conditions including extreme heat, insects, and a lack of food and functioning toilet facilities.

The state filed a notice of appeal to the 11th US circuit court in Atlanta on Thursday night, within an hour of Williams's preliminary injunction halting the intake of new detainees at the facility and setting a 60-day deadline for its dismantling.

Immigration advocates said yesterday that they believed only about 340 detainees were left at the camp after a concerted effort by officials to depopulate the camp in anticipation of the ruling. The authorities in Florida have previously said its capacity would be up to 3,000.