In pursuit of immigration enforcement, the DeSantis administration quickly seized Everglades land to construct the center. A fleet of trucks transported crucial equipment into the sensitive area. Meanwhile, environmentalists sued to prevent the facility from operating, citing potential ecological damage.

He's not alone: The leading international authority that certifies "dark sky" parks says the artificial light from Alligator Alcatraz "directly threatens" the preserve's renowned natural darkness and disrupts endangered nocturnal wildlife.