I will continue to push for legislation that prohibits the use of federal funds to construct, reimburse, or operate any detention facility in the Everglades and codifies protections for congressional oversight visits to detention facilities.

Wasserman Schultz is the lead sponsor of legislation that would prohibit the use of federal funds to construct, reimburse, or operate any detention facility in the Everglades. The No Cages in the Everglades Act would also permanently codify the appropriations provision barring any Administration from preventing Members of Congress or their staff from conducting oversight visits at detention facilities, with no exceptions for facilities operated by State or local governments or by private contractors.

The source states she is sponsoring legislation to ban federal funding for Everglades detention facilities and protect congressional oversight access.

Wasserman Schultz Discusses Unannounced Everglades Detention Center Oversight Visit | U.S. House of Representatives
secondary · other · model gpt-5.4-mini

"That is part of the oversight responsibilities that I have. It is required, and they are prohibited from expending any funds that block a member's ability to get access to the facility or to get information necessary to conduct that oversight."

She affirmed that blocking congressional access to the detention facility would be improper and tied it to her oversight responsibilities, consistent with her push for protections for oversight visits.

PALM BEACH POST: Alligator Alcatraz 'inhumane' detention camp, Wasserman Schultz says | U.S. House of Representatives
secondary · other · model gpt-5.4-mini

unverified · Source version 17600 · locator unknown

In her May 12, 2026 House statement, Wasserman Schultz said the Everglades camp’s closure was "long overdue," said she had fought it "at every turn, in Congress, in court," and added, "But this fight isn't done" and Democrats would "keep fighting for reforms."

Unverified model/legacy excerpt; not proof. AI summary (separate from source): Official congressional statement shows she continued to press the Everglades detention issue after the camp’s reported closure, but it does not show that the promised federal legislation had been enacted or that access protections were codified. This supports an ongoing, unresolved status rather than delivery.

unresolved same_term A for effort

Wasserman Schultz Statement on the Everglades Internment Camp’s Reported Closure | U.S. House of Representatives
primary · model gpt-5.4-mini · confidence 92%

unverified · Source version 66455 · locator unknown

“introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary”

Unverified model/legacy excerpt; not proof. AI summary (separate from source): GovInfo confirms Wasserman Schultz introduced H.R. 4542 and it was referred to committees, showing legislative effort but not enactment.

unresolved same_term A for effort

H.R. 4542 (IH) - No Cages in the Everglades Act - BILLS-119hr4542ih | Content Details | GovInfo
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 95%

unverified · Source version 53617 · locator unknown

“no funds made available to the Department of Homeland Security, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, may be obligated or expended”

Unverified model/legacy excerpt; not proof. AI summary (separate from source): The introduced bill text contains the promised federal-funding prohibition for Everglades immigration detention facilities, but this is introduced bill text rather than enacted law.

unresolved same_term A for effort

H.R. 4542 Introduced in House - No Cages in the Everglades Act | GovInfo
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 94%

unverified · Source version 53619 · locator unknown

“Explicitly affirm Members of Congress’ right to inspect any facility holding federal immigration detainees”

Unverified model/legacy excerpt; not proof. AI summary (separate from source): Wasserman Schultz’s official release says the bill included congressional detention-facility inspection protections, matching the oversight-access part of the promise.

unresolved same_term A for effort

Florida House Democrats Call for Closure and Demand More Access, Oversight in No Cages in the Everglades Act | U.S. House of Representatives
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 93%

unverified · Source version 53621 · locator unknown

“Current status In Committee”

Unverified model/legacy excerpt; not proof. AI summary (separate from source): A current bill tracker still lists H.R. 4542 in committee, supporting that the legislation has not been enacted as of the refresh.

unresolved same_term

H.R. 4542 — In committee: No Cages in the Everglades Act (119th Congress) · Congressional Bill Tracker
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 86%

unverified · Source version 53623 · locator unknown

“While the detention center is closed for now, neither state nor federal officials have shown that the closure is permanent.”

Unverified model/legacy excerpt; not proof. AI summary (separate from source): The August 2026 legal update indicates the facility’s closure was not shown to be permanent and litigation continued, so it does not establish delivery of the promised statutory protections.

unresolved same_term

Groups File Amended Lawsuit Challenging Everglades Detention Center - Earthjustice
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 80%

unverified · Source version 53625 · locator unknown

“Status as of August 29, 2026: The federal environmental lawsuit over ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ is still active in court”

Unverified model/legacy excerpt; not proof. AI summary (separate from source): A lookback-window status report says the related federal environmental lawsuit remained active, reinforcing that the broader dispute was unresolved rather than legislatively settled.

unresolved same_term

Alligator Alcatraz Lawsuit 2026: Full Case Status Update
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 68%

verified · Source version 66450 · locator 3688

She also introduced the No Cages in the Everglades Act with fellow Florida Democrats to defund the Everglades internment camp, launch an independent investigation of any laws broken in its construction and operation, and ensure more robust Congressional oversight there and in all similar facilities.

Fetched verbatim passage. AI summary (separate from source): A lookback-window official House release shows Wasserman Schultz was still pointing to her introduced bill as the vehicle for defunding the Everglades detention facility and improving oversight, but it does not report enactment.

unresolved same_term A for effort

Wasserman Schultz Leads Florida Democrats in Denouncing Florida’s Use of Cages in Everglades Internment Camp | U.S. House of Representatives
primary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 96%

verified · Source version 66449 · locator 2151

Shortly after our initial visit, we introduced the No Cages in the Everglades Act to prohibit the use of Federal funds for this appalling project or any other detention facility in the Everglades, require an independent investigation of State and federal laws violated in its construction and management, and permanently codify the rights of Members of Congress to conduct unannounced oversight visits wherever immigrants are detained.

Fetched verbatim passage. AI summary (separate from source): The September 15 congressional letter restates the promised funding ban and oversight-visit codification as the purpose of the introduced act, showing continued effort but not passage into law.

unresolved same_term A for effort

cagesletter.pdf
primary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 97%

verified · Source version 66449 · locator 1514

During these visits, Members in our delegation were repeatedly denied access to view these punishment cages, and told by DHS and FDEM employees and contractors that detainee reports of their existence and use for punitive or coercive purposes were categorically false.

Fetched verbatim passage. AI summary (separate from source): The same lookback-window letter documents continuing oversight-access concerns, reinforcing that the oversight-protection portion of the promise remained a live dispute rather than a completed statutory fix.

unresolved same_term A for effort

cagesletter.pdf
primary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 92%

verified · Source version 66455 · locator 1204

Last Action Date Listed July 17, 2025

Fetched verbatim passage. AI summary (separate from source): GovInfo’s official bill record still identifies the measure as the introduced House version with a July 17, 2025 last action date, not an enacted law record.

unresolved same_term

H.R. 4542 (IH) - No Cages in the Everglades Act - BILLS-119hr4542ih | Content Details | GovInfo
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 91%

verified · Source version 53617 · locator 1441

no funds made available to the Department of Homeland Security, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, may be obligated or expended

Fetched verbatim passage. AI summary (separate from source): The introduced bill text contains the promised federal-funding prohibition, but the source is introduced legislation rather than enacted statutory language.

unresolved same_term A for effort

H.R. 4542 Introduced in House - No Cages in the Everglades Act | GovInfo
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 95%

verified · Source version 53617 · locator 2293

shall allow Members of Congress and designated congressional staff to conduct announced or unannounced inspections of such facility at any time

Fetched verbatim passage. AI summary (separate from source): The introduced bill text includes the promised congressional inspection-access protection, but there is no evidence here that it has been enacted or codified.

unresolved same_term A for effort

H.R. 4542 Introduced in House - No Cages in the Everglades Act | GovInfo
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 95%