The Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida is part of a lawsuit against the Republican-led state and federal administrations over the detention center dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz."
ALSO READ: How a detention center awoke a decades-old environmental fight
But despite the GOP's support for the facility, the Tribe has donated big bucks to the party heading into the midterms—including to candidate Byron Donalds.
State election records show the Tribe gave $10,000 to the GOP candidate's affiliate committee, Friends of Byron Donalds.
At Orlando's Florida Freedom Forum in August last year, about a month after the detention center in South Florida opened, Donalds said "Alligator Alcatraz" was "critical" at the time because there were no other places available to house undocumented immigrants. He said the facility was needed for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to "repatriate" undocumented people.
Donalds told CBS News Miami last July, less than a month after it closed, that he didn't think it was a "mistake" to build the facility. He said the state of Florida stepped up to enforce President Donald Trump's Executive Order that ramped up enforcement of U.S. immigration laws and called for expanding detention centers.
ALSO READ: Immigration detention money flows in Florida's governor's race
In a statement to WUSF, tribal Chairman Talbert Cypress said:
"The Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida works with leaders on both sides of the political aisle who understand what matters to our people: protecting the Everglades, respecting Tribal sovereignty, and addressing issues affecting our community and our homelands. Our support reflects these shared priorities. We want to continue working with leaders who are committed to restoring the Everglades, improving water quality, respecting Tribal sovereignty, and listening to the Miccosukee people when decisions affect our lands and our future."
However, state election data shows the Tribe has not donated to Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Jolly.
Transparency USA, a nonpartisan organization that tracks state-level campaign financing, reports the Tribe has donated at least $239,000 for the 2026 election.
Donations include $25,000 to Conservatives for a Better Florida, $20,000 to the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, and $20,000 to the Republican Party of Florida.
The Federal Election Commission, or FEC, tracks contributions made in federal races. Since January 2025, the Tribe has donated $37,850.
Of that, $24,350 went to Democratic nominees and PACs, including $7,300 to Debbie Wasserman Schultz and $11,000 to the PAC Democrats Win Seats.
The Seminole Tribe's contributions
Data from Transparency USA shows the Seminole Tribe of Florida has donated at least $8,788,000 to candidates and PACs for the 2026 election.
The Tribe gave $5.5 million to Friends of Byron Donalds, with the latest and largest donation hitting contribution records last month.
Federally, since Jan. 2025, the Seminole Tribe has donated $544,600 to major party candidates, including $7,000 to Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, running in the state's Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party.
About two-fifths went to other Democratic candidates.
If you have any questions about state government or the legislative process, you can ask the Your Florida team by clicking here.
This story was produced by WUSF as part of a statewide journalism initiative funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
