Human rights org reports "torture," "inhumane" conditions at Alligator Alcatraz
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President Donald Trump, Gov. Ron DeSantis and other officials at Alligator Alcatraz before it opened in July. Photo: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
Conditions at Alligator Alcatraz, the immigrant detention center in the Everglades, are "inhumane and unsanitary," in some cases amounting to "torture," according to a new report.
Why it matters: The report, authored by the human rights organization Amnesty International, claims the centers do not comply with international human rights laws and standards.
- It also offers the latest look inside the facility, which has been at the center of controversy over its legality and treatment of inmates since it opened in July.
- About one week after the center opened, the Miami Herald reported grim conditions inside the facility, including poor sanitation, extreme temperatures and swarms of mosquitoes.
The other side: A spokesperson for the DeSantis administration, which runs Alligator Alcatraz, called the Amnesty International report "nothing more than a politically motivated attack," describing its findings as "fabrications."
- "Running these allegations without any evidence whatsoever could jeopardize the safety and security of our staff and those being housed" at the facility, spokesperson Molly Best told Axios in an email.
- The administration also said the Herald's reports were "untrue."
Between the lines: Researchers from Amnesty International interviewed four men detained at the ICE-run Krome North Processing Detention Center who had previously been held at Alligator Alcatraz, the report stated.
- The findings were based on a trip to South Florida in September, during which researchers visited Krome and were given a tour of the facility.
- Researchers also met with local organizations and those providing services to detainees.
- The organization requested a visit to Alligator Alcatraz but did not receive a response from Florida authorities, per the report.
Zoom in: An asylum seeker told researchers that people in detention were "routinely shackled" for long periods — sometimes more than 24 hours — while being transported from local jails to Alligator Alcatraz.
- Detainees described "poor quality food, extreme temperatures, permanent lighting, and limited access to clean water."
- They also described a "2x2 ft cage-like structure" used for punishment. (WLRN reported on the box in late July.)
- Inside the structure, detainees' hands "are shackled and they are attached to restraints on the ground. They are unable to sit down or move positions," according to the report.
The organization deemed the use of the structure a form of punishment that "constitutes torture" under the United Nations Convention Against Torture.
People held at Krome told researchers about verbal and physical abuse, as well as solitary confinement, with one individual reporting having been held in solitude for 60 days, per the report.
- Other reported violations include prolonged intake procedures, overcrowding and "inadequate and inaccessible medical care."
- The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment.
What's next: The report calls on Florida lawmakers to investigate the allegations of torture and mistreatment, not just at Alligator Alcatraz and Krome, but in immigration detention facilities across the state.