ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ JUST HIT A LEGAL ROADBLOCK

AND WE’RE GOING TO FLORIDA TO BEAR WITNESS

U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams just threw a wrench into the expansion plans for Alligator Alcatraz, Trump’s $450 million swamp fortress for mass deportations. The judge’s order halts new construction until at least August 12, thanks to a lawsuit arguing the complex tramples endangered species, sacred lands, and the fragile water system that keeps South Florida alive.

Florida’s AG dismissed the case as a “sham,” insisting state facilities don’t need to follow the process. But this fortress sits in Big Cypress National Preserve, and neither the panther, the python, nor the people who’ve been here for centuries are impressed by a gold-embossed state seal.

And then there’s Betty Osceola—Miccosukee educator, environmental defender, and one of the most unflinching voices telling this administration to back the hell off. Every Saturday, while the rest of America is Instagramming brunch, she’s leading prayer walks and rallies along U.S. 41, turning the swamp’s edge into both a sanctuary and a siege line. She’s not the only one in this fight, but she’s the reason it refuses to fade into court transcripts and committee reports.

We’ll be speaking with Osceola virtually in the coming days—and then we will fly into Florida to stand where the protesters stand, walk the same roads, and see with our own eyes exactly what’s at stake. We’ll file every word from the ground, with humidity in our lungs, mosquitos on our skin, and truth you can’t swat away.

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The judge hit pause, but the fight is far from over. We’re heading to Florida to stand where protesters stand, hear the drums, feel the heat, and bring you the truth from the front lines. If you want the kind of reporting that trades air-conditioned press rooms for the swamp’s edge, subscribe now.