Alarming Reports Emerge from Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Migrant Detention Site
Just days after opening, Florida’s new Alligator Alcatraz detention center—built deep in the Everglades to house migrants—has come under fire following disturbing reports from inside. Detainees and their families have described harsh, unsanitary, and chaotic conditions, including malfunctioning toilets, extreme temperatures, limited hygiene, and no access to confidential legal counsel.
Inside the Tents: Firsthand Accounts from Detainees
The makeshift facility, officially opened on July 2, 2025, is housed on a remote airstrip in Big Cypress National Preserve. Families of detainees have relayed accounts of freezing cold tents at night and suffocating heat by day, with temperatures reaching 105°F “feels like” conditions.
Detainees also reported giant insects infiltrating their sleeping areas, including mosquitoes and grasshoppers “the size of a hand.” One man said he was repeatedly bitten on the face while sleeping. In addition, others said the lights stay on 24 hours a day, making sleep nearly impossible. There are no clocks, no sunlight, and reportedly no way for detainees to tell time or contact their attorneys securely.
A Venezuelan woman whose husband is detained at the site told the Miami Herald, “Why would we treat a human like that? They come here for a better life.”
Denials from the State, Confusion from Families
The Florida Division of Emergency Management, which oversees the facility, denies the allegations. A spokesperson claimed all plumbing is “operational” and that environmental concerns are “minimized.” However, accounts from multiple detainees and families across interviews have repeatedly aligned—especially about hygiene lapses and deteriorating health conditions.
On July 7, witnesses reported seeing an ambulance leave the site with emergency lights on, heading east toward Miami. The state denied any medical emergency took place. But HCA Florida confirmed a detainee was treated at their Kendall hospital.
A Legal and Logistical Black Hole
Families and attorneys are struggling to locate detainees or arrange legal representation. Attorney Katie Blankenship, co-founder of Sanctuary of the South, said she cannot reach her client or confirm his whereabouts after he was transferred to the Everglades facility.
“There is no public contact number. No visitation instructions. And no way to request confidential legal calls,” she said. “For all intents and purposes, they’ve disappeared.”
A draft operational plan for Alligator Alcatraz obtained by the Herald states that detainees must have access to confidential legal communication. So far, that appears not to be the case.
Political Tensions and a Call for Oversight
The facility—meant to hold over 3,000 people—was pitched as part of President Donald Trump’s renewed crackdown on illegal immigration. But elected officials, including Florida Rep. Anna Eskamani and Sen. Shevrin Jones, have been denied access to the site, even after repeated requests.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, whose county owns the land, sent letters to both state and federal leaders demanding transparency, third-party oversight, and weekly condition reports. Accordingly, she wrote, “Families and advocates are being shut out. The public is left in the dark.”
Meanwhile, families like that of a Guatemalan man detained after a traffic stop are left without answers or options. When asked what she could do next, his wife simply said: “Wait. There is nothing else to do.”
More…
- https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2025/07/08/giant-bugs-heat-and-a-hospitalization-inside-alligator-alcatrazs-first-days/
- https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/immigration/article310130645.html
- https://www.newsbreak.com/here-s-what-matters-to-you–1600857/4095197782220-alarming-reports-of-inhumane-conditions-at-alligator-alcatraz
