MIAMI — A federal judge in Miami has ordered construction halted for two weeks at Florida’s immigration detention center in the Everglades, handing a victory to critics concerned about the potential environmental impacts of Alligator Alcatraz.

With the state potentially looking to expand the site, District Judge Kathleen Williams on Thursday issued a temporary restraining order blocking any construction installing additional paving, tall lighting, filling, excavating or fencing at the controversial detention camp.

Williams, however, stopped short of issuing a temporary injunction shutting down operations at the state-run site — a request by the plaintiffs that will be back on the table when lawyers return to her courtroom on Tuesday.

“Today’s ruling by an activist judge will have no impact on immigration enforcement in Florida,” Alex Lanfranconi, a spokesman for Gov. Ron DeSantis, wrote in an email. “Alligator Alcatraz will remain operational, continuing to serve as a force multiplier to enhance deportation efforts.”

The restraining order was sought by the Miccosukee Tribe and environmental advocacy groups Friends of the Everglades, the Center for Biological Diversity and Earthjustice. The plaintiffs say construction of the immigration detention center, built hastily at an airstrip within the Big Cypress National Preserve, skirted a federal statute that requires environmental review for any “major” federal action.

“We welcome the court’s decision to pause construction on this deeply concerning project,” Miccosukee Tribe Chairman Talbert Cypress said in a statement. “The detention facility threatens land that is not only environmentally sensitive but sacred to our people.”

With the plaintiffs seeking to shut Alligator Alcatraz down until there’s a verdict in the case, lawyers for the state and federal governments and the plaintiffs huddled in Williams’ courtroom Wednesday and Thursday to discuss the potential environmental impact of the detention center.

Experts on the Florida panther and water in the wetlands explained that the construction of the detention center, including new pavement and lighting, could drive away wildlife and add more runoff with possible carcinogens to the ecosystem.

The DeSantis administration has repeatedly said that they are attempting to expand the facility to be able to hold 3,000 detainees. Witnesses at the hearing said they observed trucks with fill and other construction materials going in and out of the site as recently as last week, describing it as an active construction site. DeSantis said Alligator Alcatraz had the capacity for “a couple thousand” during a July 25 press conference, adding that the state would expand that capacity as demand increases.

“We’re looking forward to being able to do that,” DeSantis said.

Originally, the hearing was supposed to last only one day. Then it was extended to Thursday afternoon. Due to scheduling conflicts with the federal lawyers, the hearing couldn’t have progressed until next Tuesday.

While trying to figure out the conflict, Williams asked the defense to assure her construction would not continue at the site for the next five days, since past testimony had included witnesses talking about the amount of pavement and lighting added to the site. They could not agree to that.

She told the defense that if they came back to court to continue the hearing and she heard there had been further construction, it would undermine the purpose of the case.

“Perhaps it’s naivete on my part … but I thought this issue could be readily and easily handled,” Williams said. “But that agreement could not be had.”

The defense fought the ruling, arguing that the court does not have jurisdiction to hinder civil detention operations. They also argued that the facility is not federal and therefore exempt under the National Environmental Protection Act in the first place — a topic that has spurred confusion for both lawyers and the detainees inside.

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