Florida Democrats Condemn Alligator Alcatraz Immigration Detention Conditions

Florida's Everglades immigration detention center, known as "Alligator Alcatraz," has drawn sharp criticism from Democratic lawmakers who describe it as overcrowded, inhumane, and unsanitary, with detainees held in cages under harsh conditions. Representatives like Angie Nixon and Maxwell Frost reported seeing detainees, many held for minor infractions, cramped in cages with inadequate restroom access, and some visibly distressed, chanting for freedom. They condemned the facility as a political stunt and called for its closure, highlighting that many detainees are workers and asylum seekers rather than dangerous criminals. In contrast, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier and some Republican lawmakers defended the facility, asserting it houses serious offenders and that the conditions meet necessary standards. The facility was rapidly constructed and has a capacity of 3,000, with plans to add more beds, and it serves as a detention and deportation staging ground under the Trump administration. The conflicting accounts underscore a deep political divide over immigration enforcement and detention practices in Florida.