Democrats Demand DHS Answers on Florida ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Detention Facility

More than 60 Democratic lawmakers, led by Sen. Jeff Merkley and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, have sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security demanding detailed information about the newly opened immigration detention facility known as "Alligator Alcatraz" in the Florida Everglades. The facility, constructed rapidly and located in a remote, harsh environment, has drawn criticism from human rights experts, environmental groups, and Tribal nations for potentially inhumane conditions and environmental harm. Lawmakers seek clarification on legal authority, detainee treatment standards, segregation criteria, infrastructure, medical care, and consultations with local Tribal nations by a September 3 deadline. The Trump administration, which toured and touted the facility, has partnered with Florida in this state-run detention model, raising concerns that it may create an unaccountable system parallel to the federal one. Legal challenges have been filed regarding detainees' access to counsel and environmental impacts, with a federal judge temporarily halting expansion. Additionally, the administration is expanding similar state-run detention centers in Nebraska and Indiana, prompting further scrutiny from Democrats over this approach to immigration detention.