Additional Coverage:
- Vile Alligator Alcatraz conditions exposed from ‘wall to wall humans’ to tiny toilets and ‘grey food’ (themirror.com)
Everglades Detention Center Under Fire for ‘Cage-Like’ Conditions
A new immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades, dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” by some, is facing harsh criticism for its allegedly appalling conditions. Following a tour of the facility, US Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz described detainees being “packed into cages,” with 32 people crammed into each unit.
She reported that detainees have no privacy while showering and are forced to use the same area for drinking, brushing their teeth, and using the toilet. Schultz also raised concerns about the meager meals, consisting of a small turkey and cheese sandwich, an apple, and chips, being insufficient for the 900 men held there.
The facility, erected in just eight days, is surrounded by alligator-infested swampland and boasts extensive security measures including barbed wire, 200 cameras, and a staff of 400. While President Trump joked about the alligators during his visit earlier this month, referring to the center as a place for “the most menacing migrants,” the reality inside appears far less amusing to those detained.
Reports of worm-infested food and overflowing toilets have surfaced, though these claims have been denied by Florida Division of Emergency Management spokesperson Stephanie Hartman, who insists the facility meets all necessary standards. This account is disputed by detainees and their families who describe dire conditions.
Adding to the controversy, five Democratic state lawmakers have filed a lawsuit against Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration, alleging they were denied access to the facility and accusing the administration of obstructing their oversight responsibilities. The center, intended to hold 3,000 detainees, has already drawn protests from those advocating for humane treatment of migrants and protection of the surrounding environment, which is home to Native American tribes and endangered species.