Detainees Confined to Small Outdoor Cages at Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz,’ Investigation Reveals

According to the investigation report, Department of Homeland Security officials stated that Florida, rather than the federal government, maintained authority over the facility’s daily operations.

Although the state of Florida established the facility through an executive order signed by Governor DeSantis, the federal government covered the operational expenses.

In January, the Office of Inspector General (OIG)—an independent watchdog within the DHS—conducted a surprise inspection of the detention center. The facility had garnered notoriety as one of the most prominent immigration detention centers in the United States. The current inspector general was appointed by President Donald Trump during his first term.

Constructed over eight days in 2025 within the Everglades—a protected wetland famously inhabited by alligators—the facility drew criticism from civil rights groups who deemed it inhumane. This backlash followed a remark by Trump, who joked that detained immigrants would need to learn “how to run away” from the reptiles.

By June 2026, DeSantis announced the closure of the facility, noting it was intended solely as a temporary measure.

The OIG report revealed that between July 2025 and January 2026, 79 immigrants were confined within small metal enclosures. Officials described these spaces as “calming areas” intended for individuals to “deescalate and have time alone.” However, the OIG noted that detainees were held there for periods ranging from minutes to nearly two hours, and at least once as a disciplinary measure.

The report concluded, “The use of such restrictive spaces is highly unconventional and does not align with standards for humane treatment.”

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