President Donald Trump issued one of his first vetoes of his second term this week, blocking a bipartisan bill that would have supported the Miccosukee Tribe's expansion of their reservation in the Everglades.
WATCH: Trump's letter connects veto to tribe's lawsuit
The "Miccosukee Reserved Area Amendments Act" would have allowed the tribe to officially expand its reservation to include an area of Everglades National Park called Osceola Camp. The tribe has had buildings there for decades, and the bill would have also given them support from the U.S. Department of the Interior for flood protection.
Trump's letter to Congress explaining his veto initially suggests it's about saving taxpayer money on costly repairs to aging, flood-prone buildings. But it goes on to connect the veto to a separate issue.
"My Administration is committed to preventing American taxpayers from funding projects for special interests, especially those that are unaligned with my Administration's policy of removing violent criminal illegal aliens from the country," Trump wrote.
The president appears to be referencing Alligator Alcatraz, the controversial state-run immigration detention facility in the heart of the Everglades. The Miccosukee Tribe joined environmental groups in a lawsuit against the state and federal governments, claiming the construction of the facility harms the fragile ecosystem surrounding it and violates the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA).
The case is ongoing as the governments argue that NEPA, a federal statute, doesn't apply in this circumstance because the facility is not run by the federal government.
State
Miccosukee Tribe joins federal lawsuit to halt Alligator Alcatraz
Miccosukee Tribe Chairman Talbert Cypress responded in a statement posted on social media.
"We have never sought to obstruct the President's immigration agenda," Cypress said, in part. "It was not about special treatment, but about public safety, environmental stewardship, and recognizing long-recognized tribal interests."
Cypress said the tribe remains committed to working with Congress and the federal government to protect the Everglades.
Democratic Congressman Darren Soto of Central Florida co-sponsored the bill. He posted on X, calling the president's veto "revenge for the Miccosukee Tribe's valid opposition to the atrocious Alligator Alcatraz."
"It's sad, petty and a violation of tribal sovereignty," Soto added.
Republican co-sponsors Representatives Maria Elvira Salazar and Mario Diaz Balart have not commented on the veto.
The measure passed the House with a voice vote and sailed through the Senate with unanimous consent, suggesting there's enough support in Congress to override the president's veto if they decide to take that up.
TRUMP VETO OF MICCOSUKEE BILL:
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