A federal judge has put a stop to further expansion of the immigration detention center built in the Florida Everglades and dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz," ordering that its operations wind down within two months.

Florida has signed more than $250 million in contracts to build "Alligator Alcatraz", according to records from the state's contract tracking system.

The findings raise questions about the DeSantis administration’s vetting of the companies that received Alligator Alcatraz contracts.

The answer could play a key role in a legal battle over the facility’s fate. And it has bigger implications, too.