Alligator Alcatraz Detainee Deportations, Legal Barriers Rise

Detainees at the 'Alligator Alcatraz' immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades have faced significant barriers to legal representation, including canceled court hearings, lack of attorney contact, and detention without formal charges. Civil rights lawyers, including the ACLU, allege constitutional rights violations and claim some detainees have been pressured to sign deportation orders without counsel. A class-action lawsuit asserts attorneys have difficulty accessing clients or identifying the correct court for redress, while over 100 detainees have already been deported. State officials under Governor Ron DeSantis assert recent improvements, such as video-conference and in-person attorney meetings. The federal judge has asked plaintiffs to refile their complaint as a preliminary injunction, with a hearing set for August 18. The case has drawn attention from the Mexican government and detainees' families, who describe the facility's conditions as distressing.