Immigrants held at a now-shuttered Florida detention center, nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz,” were confined in small metal cages for up to two hours at a time, according to a report from the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG). The OIG found the use of the approximately 18-square-foot enclosures was “unprecedented” and did not align with standards for humane treatment. The facility, established by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and operating from July 2025 to January 2026, also failed to comply with at least six detention standards, including those related to hygiene, medical care, food, and safety.
The OIG conducted a surprise inspection in January and found detainees had access to showers infested with bugs and were limited to three showers per week. They also lacked access to clean drinking water and were provided plastic cups that could not be cleaned. The report states the cages were described as “calming areas” intended for detainees to “reflect on their behavior choices, manage their emotions, reduce stress, and practice self-directed behavior.” Between July 2025 and January 2026, 79 immigrants were held in the enclosures, sometimes as a disciplinary measure.
DHS officials told the OIG that the state of Florida, not the federal government, had authority over day-to-day operations, though the federal government paid for operational costs. The facility, built over eight days in the Everglades, cost over $1 million per day to operate and was intended to be temporary, closing in June 2026. Detainees had previously told the BBC they were denied necessary medication. Hundreds of detainees filed federal lawsuits alleging inhumane conditions, including overcrowding, unsanitary cells, and excessive force. The current inspector general was appointed by President Donald Trump during his first term. Trump had previously joked that immigrants held at the facility would need to learn “how to run away” from the alligators.
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