A temporary migrant detention center in the Florida Everglades dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” is under growing scrutiny amid disturbing reports of inhumane conditions shared by detainees. The Miami Herald on Tuesday detailed alarming accounts from three women whose husbands are currently held at the site, raising concerns over health, safety, and basic human rights.
“While the state says the stories detainees are sharing with the Herald are false, various scenarios described by three women in separate interviews are matching up,” reported the Herald. The women claim their husbands were deprived of basic sanitation and endured severe discomfort since their arrival.
Two women said their husbands were unable to shower for days and initially had no access to running water or flush toilets. All three men reportedly described serious insect infestations inside the tents. One detainee told his wife that “grasshoppers the size of his hand” were leaping into their shelter and that “the biggest mosquitoes he had ever seen were flying over them in their cells.”
Other concerns included a complete lack of time indicators, with no clocks or access to natural light inside the tents, leaving detainees disoriented and unaware of whether it was day or night. A Guatemalan migrant told his wife the climate control inside the facility was unreliable — the air conditioning at one point made it too cold to sleep, only to later break down and expose detainees to intense heat.
Florida state officials, who operate the facility, have denied the claims. “Bugs and environmental factors are minimized in the facility, restraints are only utilized during transport outside of the detention centers, and visitation arrangements can be made upon request. All plumbing systems are working and operational,” they said in a statement.
Officials also dismissed reports of a medical emergency at the camp as “fake news,” despite Jennifer Guerrieri of HCA Florida confirming that a detainee was indeed transported by ambulance to Kendall Hospital in Miami for medical treatment.
The site opened with enthusiastic support from allies of former President Donald Trump and was even promoted with branded merchandise. Trump has reportedly expressed interest in expanding this detention model.
Despite assurances from officials that the camp is “hurricane-proof,” experts remain concerned about its vulnerability to weather events. Earlier this month, a rainstorm reportedly flooded parts of the facility, with water pooling around tents and electrical cables, further intensifying worries over the safety of detainees as hurricane season approaches.