Immigrants Held in Small Outdoor Cages at ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ in Florida, Investigators Find
By Madeline Halpert | Published 12 minutes ago
Immigrants held at "Alligator Alcatraz", a now-shuttered detention center in Florida, were kept in small metal cages for hours, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) watchdog.
The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) found the use of these outdoor cages—approximately 18 square feet (1.67 square meters)—was "unprecedented among detention facilities" and dangerous. Investigators also concluded that the center did not comply with several standards for hygiene, medical care, food, health, and safety.
The BBC has reached out to DHS’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for comment. In its response included in the investigation report, DHS officials stated that Florida, not the federal government, had authority over day-to-day operations at the facility.
In January, the OIG conducted a surprise inspection at the detention center, which had become one of the most notorious immigration detention centers in the U.S. The current inspector general was appointed by President Donald Trump during his first term.
The facility was established by the state of Florida through an executive order signed by DeSantis but was financed by the federal government. In June 2026, DeSantis announced the facility would close as it was only meant to be temporary.
According to the OIG report, between July 2025 and January 2026, the facility housed 79 immigrants in these small metal enclosures, describing them as "calming areas" for individuals to "deescalate and have time alone." They were held there for periods ranging from minutes to nearly two hours, at least once as a disciplinary measure.
"The use of such restrictive spaces is highly unconventional and does not align with standards for humane treatment," the report stated.
Detainees at the facility previously told the BBC they lacked necessary medication and regular showers, among other hygiene measures. The OIG inspectors found immigrants had to use showers infested with small bugs and were only permitted three times per week.
The center also failed to provide adequate living space, creating cramped conditions for detainees who spent most of their time in their housing units, according to the report. Immigrants at the facility additionally reported not having access to clean drinking water and being unable to clean the plastic cups from which they drank.
