US Department of Homeland Security's watchdog found immigrants held at a Florida detention center called "Alligator Alcatraz" were kept in small outdoor cages, measuring about 18 square feet (1.67 square meters), for up to nearly two hours. The facility, built over eight days in the Everglades and funded by federal money but run by state officials under Governor Ron DeSantis, violated standards for hygiene, medical care, food, health, and safety. Between July 2025 and January 2026, 79 immigrants were held in these cages, which were described as "calming areas" for de-escalation but deemed highly unconventional by the inspector general's report.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-14,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
DHS's Inspector General released a report revealing that immigrants detained at Florida’s South Florida Detention Facility, known as "Alligator Alcatraz," were confined in outdoor metal cages the size of telephone booths for over an hour, a practice described as torture by Amnesty International. The facility was operated by the state of Florida but funded by the federal government. While the DHS asserts that ICE does not oversee day-to-day operations, critics argue this contradicts 287(g) agreements between Florida agencies and ICE. Detainees also faced poor living conditions with showers infested with bugs and limited access to clean water and food. The facility cost taxpayers over $1 million daily, raising questions about its legality and human rights implications in the environmentally sensitive Everglades area.
Written for “Immigrants Held In Small Cages Florida” on 2026-09-14,
grounded in this article and the 4 other(s) covering the same event.
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Leaning score -0.35 for article 9286 (medium confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-09-14
- Published
Immigrants held at "Alligator Alcatraz", a now-shuttered detention centre in Florida, were kept in small metal cages for hours, according to a report from the US Department of Homeland Security's watchdog.
uncertain
Immigrants → publish → watchdog
The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) found the use of the outdoor cages - about 18sq ft (1.67sq m) - was "unprecedented among detention facilities" and dangerous.
asserted
use → find → facilities
Investigators concluded the centre also did not comply with a number of standards for hygiene, medical care, food, health and safety.
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centre → conclude → hygiene
The BBC has contacted DHS's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for comment.
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BBC → contact → comment
DHS told the watchdog that state officials ran the facility.
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officials → tell → facility
In its response included in the investigation report, DHS officials said Florida - not the federal government - had authority over day-to-day operations at the facility.
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Florida → include → facility
The facility was established by the state of Florida through an executive order signed by DeSantis, but the federal government paid for operational costs.
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government → establish → costs
In January, the OIG conducted a surprise inspection at the detention facility, which had become one of the most notorious immigration detention centres in the US.
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which → conduct → US
The current inspector general was appointed by President Donald Trump during his first term.
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general → appoint → term
In 2025, the detention facility was built over the course of eight days in the Everglades, a protected wetland known for its alligators.
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facility → build → alligators
Trump once joked that immigrants held there would need to learn "how to run away" from the reptiles at the facility, which civil rights groups have decried as inhumane.
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groups → joke → which
In June 2026, DeSantis said the facility would close as it was only meant to be temporary.
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it → say → June
According to the OIG report, between July 2025 and January 2026, the facility kept 79 immigrants in the small metal enclosures, describing them as "calming areas" for people to "deescalate and have time alone".
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people → accord → time
They were held there from periods ranging from minutes to nearly two hours, at least once as a disciplinary measure, OIG said.
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OIG → hold → measure
"The use of such restrictive spaces is highly unconventional and does not align with standards for humane treatment," the report stated.
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report → align → treatment
Detainees at the facility have previously told the BBC they were denied necessary medication and regular showers and other hygiene measures.
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they → tell → medication
In their report, OIG inspectors said they found immigrants held at the facility had to use showers infested with small bugs and were only allowed to do so three times a week.
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immigrants → say → times
The facility did not provide them with sufficient living space, "creating cramped conditions for detainees who spent most of their time in their housing units", according to the report.
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who → provide → report
Immigrants at the centre also told OIG that they did not have access to clean drinking water and could not clean the plastic cups from which they drank.
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they → tell → which
