MIAMI, Fla. (WFLA) – Alligator Alcatraz is facing more legal trouble as a hearing took place Monday morning for its second federal lawsuit.
The attorney behind the class action lawsuit allegedly prohibited meeting clients at Wani Alcatraz, and in some cases bond hearings were cancelled.
Civil rights lawyers are seeking temporary restraining orders for immigration detention facilities. They claim that their clients’ constitutional rights are being violated, as 100 detainees have already been deported.
The second federal lawsuit challenging Crocodile Alcatraz alleges that lawyers have had a considerable length to contact their clients, but is forbidden from doing so. During a virtual hearing Monday, civil rights lawyers accused the government of restricting communications and violating the constitutional rights of detainees.
“This is absolutely a due process violation,” said Danielle Hernandez, managing partner at DVH Law Group.
The Tampa-based immigration officer is not part of the lawsuit, but fears that some of her clients will end up with Alligator Alcatraz. On Friday, the director of Florida’s emergency management said:
“We should have our first on-site legal representative by Monday,” Coach Kevin Guthrie said.
While in court, Governor Ron DeSantis’ attorney said it had already begun. He told a federal judge in Miami that the situation has evolved since the lawsuit was filed on July 16, adding that a video conference room has been set up so detainees can talk to lawyers.
The lawsuit also alleges that the federal immigration court has cancelled the bond hearing.
“We don’t have jurisdiction over the cases of people detained at Crocodile Alcatraz,” Hernandez said. “No one says they have jurisdiction over this facility.”
Desantis is calling for citizen security guards to be replaced by the Department of Justice to promote and increase deportation.
“We don’t have the approval yet that no one can come here and do that, but we’re anticipating the event,” he said.
“I don’t know how within a few days someone will start speeding up and delivering an accurate, legitimate process,” Hernandez said.
It’s still muddy that Wannial Catraz has had authority over the site since it opened a month ago. The judge allowed lawyers to advocate for the release of a legal agreement between the state and federal governments. It comes as deportation continues.
“We’ve had two or three removal flights, and we’ll continue to have these removal flights,” said Garrett Lipa, Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The Miami-based judge did not preside over the case. He asked his lawyers to consolidate their pleas and re-file them. Another hearing is scheduled for August 18th.
Last month, environmental groups sued federal and state officials who alleged that the center was built on a runway in the heart of the Everglades, but failed to comply with environmental laws.
A Wednesday hearing for the case has been set up to determine whether the case has been filed in the correct jurisdiction.
