Five Democratic Florida state lawmakers have filed a lawsuit against Gov. Ron DeSantis, accusing him of unlawfully blocking their access to the “Alligator Alcatraz” migrant detention facility located in the Everglades. The lawmakers argue the refusal violates their legislative oversight authority and was a deliberate move to conceal conditions inside the state-run center. Their lawsuit, also targeting Emergency Management Chief Kevin Guthrie, asserts that no state law allows the governor to override such oversight.

DeSantis’s office dismissed the suit as “dumb” and “frivolous.” Critics of the lawmakers claim they exaggerate conditions and prioritize undocumented immigrants over citizens. Meanwhile, the facility is gaining national attention among GOP leaders, with several Republican-led states expressing interest in replicating Florida’s model.

States like Georgia, Arkansas, and South Carolina are already expanding detention infrastructure. Georgia announced plans for the largest detention center in the U.S., while Arkansas is constructing a new 3,000-bed prison. South Carolina officials emphasized their ongoing collaboration with federal immigration enforcement, and other states have begun exploring similar initiatives inspired by “Alligator Alcatraz.”