Florida lawmakers argued state law grants elected officials access to inspect state-operated facilities without approval, but the Florida Division of Emergency Management denied their request.

The detention immigration facility is located in an idle airstrip in the Everglades that the DeSantis administration recently seized from Miami-Dade County using emergency powers.

A group of Florida Democratic lawmakers said Thursday that they were denied access to the new “Alligator Alcatraz” immigrant detention facility due to “safety concerns.” The denied legislative oversight visit came less than one day after the first batch of illegal immigrants arrived at the Everglades facility.