Democratic State Senators Shevrin Jones and Carlos Guillermo Smith joined State Representatives Anna Eskamani, Angie Nixon and Michele Rayner to file a lawsuit for Republican Governor Ron DeSantis “illegally blocking” Alligator Alcatraz.
“We just filed a lawsuit following Governor DeSantis illegally blocking us from inspecting the immigrant detention facility in the Everglades,” Rep. Anna Eskamani, who is a candidate for Orlando Mayor. “Under Florida law, legislators have the right to conduct unannounced visits to detention facilities—especially when human lives are at risk.”
The Democrats say the right to inspect immigrant detention facilities was denied earlier this month when they showed up. Orlando mayoral candidate Anna Eskamani said the facility is “a hastily built, flood-prone compound in the middle of the Everglades,” and called it “tantamount to a modern-day concentration camp.”
Trying to brush off criticism of a photo opp, the Democratic legislators said the lawsuit is about defending our legislative authority and protecting vulnerable people. Rep. Eskamani went further saying it was also about “stopping this slide into authoritarianism.”
The Republican Governor did allow a tour by Democrats, but they called it a “staged, sanitized tour.” The Democrats, including Eskamani, promised they will be coming back unannounced, for oversight.
The Orlando Democrat said she was glad to see public pressure forcing the State of Florida to open its doors for a scheduled tour of the Everglades Detention Center. But she stated the law grants them the right to enter these facilities unannounced, at any time. “A scheduled 90-minute tour is not a substitute for lawful access and long-term legislative accountability,” Rep. Eskamani posted. “What FDEM [Florida Division of Emergency Management] is offering doesn’t undo their illegal denial or fulfill their legal obligation to us, members of the Florida Legislature.”
Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried a statement supporting the various Democrats who filed a lawsuit against Governor Ron DeSantis. The FDP said they supported the lawsuit for illegally denying them unannounced access to their makeshift detention camp, dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz.”
“When Democratic lawmakers asked to inspect the detention center unannounced last week, they were unlawfully blocked. Now they’re suing for the right to do their jobs,” Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried said. “Unannounced visits are provided by Florida law to ensure transparency, enforce health codes, and verify the humane treatment of those detained. A choreographed, sanitized tour is not oversight—it’s state-sponsored propaganda.”
“We need leaders focused on solving Florida’s affordability crisis—not spending $450 million to warehouse immigrants in the swamp. Floridians deserve the truth. They deserve accountability. And they deserve elected officials who will fight for it.”
Democrats said Floridians deserve genuine transparency, not curated photo opportunities, and the Democratic Party will continue to push for that type of unfettered access.
