Month: August 2025

A Florida federal judge has issued a temporary stop to further construction at the controversial immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” citing concerns over its impact on the surrounding environment.

U.S. District Judge Kathleen M. Williams made the decision on Thursday after two days of testimony in Miami federal court, over a lawsuit alleging the site’s construction skirted environmental laws. Judge Williams approved a 14-day temporary restraining order after hearing two days of testimony regarding the potential ecological harm posed by the facility.  The pause comes as the court prepares to resume hearings next Tuesday;  however in the interim, Judge Williams opted to temporarily intervene to protect the fragile ecosystem of the Everglades, which could suffer irreversible damage without immediate action. While the center can continue housing detainees, any new construction activities must be suspended during this period. Williams later clarified that this ruling halts activities including “at the very least, filling, paving, installation of additional infrastructure” and also said no additional lighting fixtures should be added.

Alligator Alcatraz was built in just a few weeks about 50 miles west of Miami, deep within the Everglades. The site includes hundreds of tents, trailers, and other temporary structures, with capacity for more than 3,000 detainees. It sits on the grounds of the largely unused Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, which is owned by Miami-Dade County. The facility also borders land leased to the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, including areas with homes, a school, traditional hunting grounds, and sacred sites. The tribe formally joined the lawsuit last month, citing fears that the detention center could harm nearby communities and tribal land.

The hearing comes after environmental groups sued to stop the facility, located on an airstrip located in the sensitive wetlands of Ochopee’s Big Cypress National Preserve, from operating. Environmental organizations, alongside the Miccosukee Tribe, requested the injunction, arguing that construction began without legally required environmental assessments. The area in question is ecologically sensitive and holds cultural and spiritual importance for the Miccosukee people. Notably, it is also home to endangered species such as the Florida Panther.

Miccosukee Chairman Talbert Cypress in a statement: “We welcome the court’s decision to pause construction on this deeply concerning project. The detention facility threatens land that is not only environmentally sensitive but sacred to our people. While this order is temporary, it is an important step in asserting our rights and protecting our homeland. The Miccosukee Tribe will continue to stand for our culture, our sovereignty, and the Everglades.”

In response to the judge’s ruling, a spokesperson for Florida AG James Uthmeier’s office released a statement to ABC News: “Judge Williams’ order is wrong, and we will fight it. However, it does not shut down Alligator Alcatraz, which will continue to send illegal aliens back to where they came from.”

The judge’s decision came after a relatively limited hearing on Wednesday, during which only five witnesses were presented by environmental advocates. Lawyers representing the state argued that because Florida initiated and funded the construction and currently oversees operations, the project is exempt from the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) — the primary legal standard being invoked to challenge the facility.

Though the federal government provides funding, Florida manages the facility — which critics note is intentionally vague and allows officials to circumvent key regulatory obligations. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has previously claimed that Florida is carrying out federal immigration enforcement on the government’s behalf, expecting reimbursement for the operation’s full cost. However, during ongoing court proceedings, neither state nor federal officials have been able to clearly identify who is ultimately responsible for the facility’s oversight.

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The man who ambushed and shot two Pennsylvania state troopers responding to a domestic dispute on Thursday has died, officials said.

According to State Police Col. Christoper Paris, the ambush took place after the troopers responded to a Susquehanna County home where a woman said she was involved in a domestic dispute. A man exchanged gunfire with the state troopers Joseph Perechinsky and William Jenkins shortly after 11 a.m. with the location being noted as along Route 171 near the village of Thompson (about 163 miles north of Philadelphia). Paris said the troopers “were dispatched to check the welfare of an individual. And there was additional information about shots being fired. We will have more information about the specifics of how that call came in. But upon their arrival, they were immediately fired upon and ambushed. They are very lucky to be alive.”

One trooper was shot in the chest and the back and needed surgery, per officials said, and another trooper was shot in the arm. One trooper applied a tourniquet to another and a third trooper was able to help rescue them, Paris said. The troopers are said to be in stable condition with serious injuries.

The suspect fled the scene and barricaded himself in a nearby barn, with tactical teams responding and shooting and killing him, per officials. This incident is being treated as being criminal in nature and not a direct targeted attack on law enforcement.

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President Trump has imposed an additional 25% tariff on goods from India over its imports of oil from Russia, the White House said on Wednesday, raising the rate from 25% to 50%.

In a newly issued executive order, Trump stated that India is continuing to import oil from Russia, either directly or indirectly. Because of these ongoing transactions, Trump said an additional 25% duty would be imposed on Indian goods entering the U.S. market: “I find that the Government of India is currently directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil. Accordingly, and as consistent with applicable law, articles of India imported into the customs territory of the United States shall be subject to an additional ad valorem rate of duty of 25 percent.”

This new increase will be added to the 25% tariff already set to take effect Wednesday night, part of a broader wave of tariffs Trump is implementing across several major trading partners. The additional duty is scheduled to be enforced within 21 days. At 50%, India would face one of the highest import tariffs levied by the U.S. on any country. Other nations facing similar high tariffs include Brazil at 50%, Syria at 41%, Myanmar at 40%, and Switzerland at 39%.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs pushed back in response to the latest tariff escalation, stating that the Trump administration’s targeting of India over Russian oil imports was “unjustified and unreasonable” and that it “will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security.” India has previously claimed that its purchases of Russian oil were made with the knowledge and backing of the United States.

During an interview with CNBC on Tuesday, Trump criticized India’s trade practices, saying, “India has not been a good trading partner, because they do a lot of business with us, but we don’t do business with them. So we settled on 25% [tariffs] but I think I’m going to raise that very substantially over the next 24 hours, because they’re buying Russian oil. They’re fueling the war machine.”

According to data from the Commerce Department, India ranked as the 10th-largest exporter of goods to the United States in 2024, with imports exceeding $87 billion. Among the top categories were machinery, plastics, rubber, chemicals, metals, glass, and agricultural products.

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A suspect is in custody after five soldiers were injured in an active shooter incident at Fort Stewart in Georgia on Wednesday.

According to a U.S. official and the military base, the shooting at the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team area was reported at 10:56 a.m. Per NBC News, the suspect was identified as Quornelius Radford, a male soldier who has prior ties to Florida. Radford was apprehended at 11:35 a.m., Fort Stewart said. The circumstances surrounding the shooting were not immediately clear.

The Fort Stewart Hunter Army Airfield posted to social media: “Five Soldiers were shot today in an active shooter incident in the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team area. All Soldiers were treated on-site and moved to Winn Army Community Hospital for further treatment. There is no active threat to the community. Law enforcement was dispatched for a possible shooting in the 2nd ABCT complex at 10:56 a.m. The shooter was apprehended at 11:35 a.m. The installation was locked down at 11:04 a.m. and Fort Stewart lifted the lockdown of the main cantonment area at 12:10 p.m. 2nd ABCT complex is still locked down. Emergency medical personnel were dispatched to treat the wounded Soldiers at 11:09 a.m. The incident remains under investigation and no additional information will be released until the investigation is complete.”

CBS affiliate WTOC-TV reported that the wounded soldiers were treated on site and then taken to an Army hospital, with two of the victims were rushed to Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, which is a Level 1 trauma center (Fort Stewart is about 40 miles southwest of Savannah.). No information was immediately released about the conditions of the wounded service members.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said on social media, “As we remain in close contact with law enforcement on the ground, Marty, the girls, and I are saddened by today’s tragedy at Ft. Stewart. We are keeping the victims, their families, and all those who answer the call to serve in our hearts and prayers, and we ask that Georgians everywhere do the same.”

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on social media that President Trump has been briefed on the shooting and the White House is monitoring the situation, with a defense official stating that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has also been briefed on the shooting.

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