Florida Democrats file lawsuit for being denied entrance to ‘Alligator Alcatraz’

“The rule of law must be upheld,” the lawsuit states.

By Mitch Perry for The Florida Phoenix

The 5 Democratic state lawmakers who had been denied entrance to examine the brand new immigration detention heart within the Florida Everglades final week filed a lawsuit within the Florida Supreme Courtroom in opposition to Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Division of Emergency (FDEM) Administration Govt Director Kevin Guthrie on Thursday.

They contend that their exclusion from the ability violated state legislation in addition to the Florida Structure by eroding the separation of powers and improperly limiting the authority of a co-equal department of presidency.

Associated | Trump and cronies are giddy to trample human rights at ‘Alligator Alcatraz’

State Sens. Shevrin Jones and Carlos Guillermo Smith and state Reps. Michele Rayner, Anna Eskamani, and Angie Nixon are the plaintiffs within the case. The 5 Democratic lawmakers tried to enter the ability on July 3, however had been denied entrance for what officers there claimed had been “safety concerns” that the Democratic lawmakers say had been by no means recognized to them.

Their try to go to the ability got here two days after President Donald Trump, Gov. DeSantis, and several other different state Republican officers held a tour and roundtable dialogue on the heart with members of the media.

Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, Kristi Noem, and others tour “Alligator Alcatraz,” on July 1.

Officers with FDEM mentioned earlier this week that state statute grants inspection authority solely to legislative committees, “not to individual legislators engaging in political theater.” In addition they mentioned that whereas Florida Statute 944.23 does authorize members of the Legislature to go to state correctional establishments, they must be these beneath the jurisdiction of the Florida Division of Corrections.

“The Alligator Alcatraz facility is not under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections and does not otherwise fall within the statutory definition of a ‘state correctional institution,’” mentioned FDEM spokesperson Stephanie Hartman, referring to the appellation given the ability by state leaders.

Through the roundtable dialogue on July 1 when the ability was opened to the media, Gov. DeSantis described the detention heart as a “one-stop shop” with a runway that may enable the federal authorities to hold out deportation flights. The governor used a state of emergency declaration he issued in January 2023 to take over and start the speedy building on the land Miami-Dade County owns.

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The 5 Democrats allege of their lawsuit that beneath Florida Statutes 944.23 and 951.225, members of the Legislature are explicitly entitled to conduct unannounced visits to any state or native detention facility at their “pleasure.”

In addition they contend that DeSantis and Guthrie undermined the State Emergency Administration Act beneath which the governor derives his emergency powers. They’re looking for a writ to compel DeSantis and Guthrie “to provide immediate, unannounced access to the Petitioners to the Dade-Collier Training & Transition Airport site of the proclaimed ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ detention facility.”

The division introduced on Wednesday that it’s going to open the middle for all state lawmakers and members of Congress this Saturday for a 90-minute go to.

Reviews of poor situations

“The rule of law must be upheld,” the lawsuit states.

“Our Constitution does not coronate a king. It is not hyperbolic to contend that the Governor’s actions, directly or indirectly through the actions of agency directors and their employees, could become more far reaching into the third branch of our government. Conjecture is not necessary at this moment because the distinctive and autonomous power of the legislative branch has and is being challenged by and through the executive branch. The blatant, illegal, and cavalier nature of violation of the Florida Constitution and statutory authority puts members of the legislative and judicial branches at risk if we, those sworn to protect and defend the Constitution and rule of law, do not speak out loudly and boldly against its trespasses and transgressors.”

The lawsuit was filed by two Democratic members of the Florida Home, attorneys Ashley Gantt and LaVon Bracy Davis. Together with Rep. Rayner, the three feminine Democratic lawmakers introduced final month that they had been forming their very own legislation agency referred to as BDGR P.A.

Two environmental teams, Mates of the Everglades and the Middle for Organic Variety, have already gone to federal courtroom to sue the U.S. Division of Homeland Safety, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), FDEM, and Miami-Dade County alleging building of the detention heart violates a federal legislation that requires environmental evaluation of potential harms and that the general public didn’t get a possibility to remark.

The governor’s workplace responded late this afternoon to the submitting of the lawsuit.

Yesterday, the Florida Division of Emergency Administration invited all Florida legislators to tour Alligator Alcatraz this weekend. At this time, 5 Democrat legislators responded by submitting a frivolous lawsuit demanding entry to Alligator Alcatraz,” mentioned Sierra Dean, deputy press secretary for Gov. DeSantis. “The State is looking forward to quickly dispensing with this dumb lawsuit.”