A Glimpse Inside “Alligator Alcatraz”: Detainees Allege Horrific Conditions

The “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration detention facility, a hastily constructed site deep within the Florida Everglades, is rapidly becoming synonymous with allegations of severe and inhumane conditions.¹ While government officials have adamantly disputed these claims, accounts emerging from detainees, their attorneys, and family members paint a stark picture of a facility where basic human needs are reportedly going unmet.²

Located at the repurposed Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, this facility was touted by officials, including President Trump, as a model for deterring irregular migration due to its remote and naturally challenging environment.³ However, early reports from those held within its chain-link enclosures describe an alarming reality that contrasts sharply with official reassurances.

Food, Filth, and Fecal Flooding

Among the most disturbing allegations are those concerning food and sanitation. Detainees have reportedly described being served meals that contain worms or maggots.⁴ One detainee’s wife relayed to The Associated Press that her husband claimed “The meals have worms,” and that detainees eat only once a day with just two minutes to consume their food.⁵ Such reports have even spurred a hunger strike among some detainees in protest of the conditions.

Compounding the food issues are severe sanitation problems. Accounts consistently mention toilets that do not flush, leading to floors flooding with fecal waste and urine in the same confined spaces where individuals are forced to sleep.⁶ “They have no way to bathe, no way to wash their mouths, the toilet overflows and the floor is flooded with pee and poop,” a detainee’s wife told the AP.⁷ These conditions not only pose serious health risks but also represent a profound lack of dignity for those held there.

Denied Basics: Showers, Medicine, and Cleanliness

Beyond the immediate issues of food and waste, detainees report being denied fundamental necessities for hygiene and health. There are widespread claims of days without access to showers or even water for basic washing. “There is no water here to bathe,” one Cuban detainee, Leamsy La Figura, told Telemundo 51, further stating that detainees are only fed once a day.⁸

Perhaps even more critically, there are reports of denial or severe delays in accessing prescription medicine. One Colombian detainee explicitly stated, “I’m on the edge of losing my mind. I’ve gone three days without taking my medicine.” Such a lack of medical care can be life-threatening for individuals with chronic conditions requiring regular medication.

The Swamps’ Unwelcome Inhabitants: Mosquitoes and Insects

Given its location deep within the Everglades, it is perhaps unsurprising that detainees describe mosquitoes and other insects being rampant.⁹ Some accounts describe mosquitoes “the size of elephants.”¹⁰ Experts, like Yale epidemiologist Durland Fish, confirm the Everglades is “mosquito heaven,” home to numerous mosquito-borne viruses, posing a significant health threat to those unaccustomed to the environment and without protection. Lawmakers attempting to visit the site have themselves reported being bitten dozens of times despite wearing mosquito nets, raising serious concerns about the conditions for those living in tents within the facility.

Additional reported issues include lights being kept on 24 hours a day, air conditioners suddenly shutting off in the tropical heat, and restrictions on practicing religion or accessing legal counsel.¹¹

Official Response and Calls for Oversight

Florida officials, including the Florida Division of Emergency Management which built the center, have vehemently denied the claims, stating that “The reporting on the conditions in the facility is completely false.¹² The facility meets all required standards and is in good working order.” However, they have provided few details and have largely denied media access to the site, prompting a lawsuit from a group of Democratic lawmakers demanding entry. A site visit by state legislators and members of Congress is reportedly scheduled for Saturday, July 12.

Immigration attorneys and advocates, who have long warned of unsanitary confinements and medical neglect in other detention centers, describe “Alligator Alcatraz” as making those facilities seem “advanced” by comparison.¹³ The emerging accounts from inside the facility underscore urgent calls for independent investigation, greater transparency, and a fundamental re-evaluation of the human rights standards applied in immigration detention.

An Unamed American’s Opinion on Alligator Alcatraz

It’s truly difficult to read the accounts emerging from a place like “Alligator Alcatraz” without a profound sense of dismay and disappointment. The allegations of worms in food, overflowing toilets, days without showers or medicine, and pervasive insect infestations paint a picture of conditions that are not merely inadequate but, frankly, inhumane, one can say, they really do deserve better than this.

As a society, we often speak of upholding dignity and basic human rights, yet if these reports are even partially true, they suggest a stark failure to do so for individuals who are, regardless of their legal status, still human beings. The idea that such conditions could exist, let alone be a deliberate part of a deterrence strategy, feels deeply antithetical to the values of a nation that prides itself on being a beacon of liberty and compassion. We must ask ourselves if prioritizing deterrence at such a cost to human dignity truly reflects who we aspire to be. The calls for transparency and immediate investigation are not just procedural; they are a moral imperative, urging us to look beyond the “bill” and confront the very real, very distressing human reality within these walls. Can you imagine baing taken to Alligator Alcatraz? To me, it seems like something we would pull out of a horror story, yet, we are seeing actual HUMANS being put through such TORTURE all because of what? Because of why? What landed them in such harsh conditions? Being human? Seriosly? If you are for Alligator Alcatraz and you believe it is right, then please just exit my site because such hatred paired with such racism is not welcome here.

A Special Note to Mexicans

Look, I know that it is not easy being judged solely for your race, it’s not right at all and it is never going to be right. I was born and raised in America, and this does not make me any better than you, no one is better than anyone, we are ALL HUMAN, your race is human and I wish that other people understood this as well and you knwo what? Some of them do understand this, some do …so don’t think we are all in this against you, I am WITH you, never against.