Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has launched the first deportation flights from a newly established migrant detention center, which has been dubbed ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ by President Donald Trump and others.
This facility, located in the remote Everglades, has already sparked significant controversy amid various allegations regarding the treatment of detainees.
The detention center was rapidly constructed by Governor DeSantis late last month on an idle airstrip in a secluded area, with the intent of deterring illegal immigration through its harsh conditions.
Trump and DeSantis aim for the center to serve as a punitive example, yet critics deride it as a performative manifestation of anti-immigrant sentiment.
Interestingly, although Alligator Alcatraz is designated for immigrant detention, a federal responsibility, it is being operated by Florida’s Division of Emergency Management.
Reports indicate that Governor DeSantis plans to utilize federal FEMA funds to cover a portion of the projected $450 million expense for the first year of the facility’s operation.
The structure itself is described as a hastily erected tent system with caged cells designed to accommodate up to 5,000 detainees.
Numerous detainees have come forward with complaints about substandard living conditions, including inadequate food, large mosquito infestations, overflowing toilets, insufficient air conditioning, continuous lighting, and a lack of access to showers.
In particular, access to legal representation has emerged as a significant concern, with lawyers stating they are neither allowed entry into the facility nor able to meet with their clients in person, relying instead on phone or Zoom communications.
This week, journalist Tim Padgett spoke with a 21-year-old Nicaraguan migrant currently detained at the center.
The asylum-seeker, who fled Nicaragua’s oppressive Ortega regime as a student protestor, wished to remain anonymous for fear of repercussions.
Previously, he had been arrested in Fort Lauderdale for improper exhibition of a firearm, but was not convicted.
His case is particularly troubling as he is one of the many noncriminal migrants held at Alligator Alcatraz, a facility originally intended for criminal migrants only.
He described a shocking encounter with guards, claiming that during a heated discussion over clothing regulations, one guard used a racial slur and then imposed inhumane punishment.
Specifically, he stated that he was shackled with his hands and feet before being placed outside in a small, sun-exposed confinement known as ‘the box’, measuring only four feet by four feet.
He reported that he was left in the direct sunlight from 1 PM until approximately 7 PM, which he described as inhumane treatment.
‘They treat us like real criminals that murdered. We’re just immigrants,’ he told Padgett.
The youth also asserted that another detainee from Honduras faced similar punishment after speaking out about his treatment.
While it is challenging to verify such accounts given the limited access for the press and legal representatives, the Florida Division of Emergency Management has strongly denied allegations of mistreatment.
They labeled the accusations as ‘false,’ insisting that guards adhere to all proper protocols set by prison, state, and federal regulations.
Florida Republican leaders have also commented on the situation, emphasizing that the public should keep in mind that Alligator Alcatraz functions as a prison.
Many, if not most of the detainees, do have prior criminal records, and as the Florida House speaker recently stated, it is not designed to be a ‘five-star resort.’
The situation continues to evolve, with widespread scrutiny on how Florida is handling the influx of migrants and the conditions they face in this newly established facility.
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