In the heart of Florida’s Everglades, migrants detained at a new facility backed by US President Donald Trump are enduring conditions described as inhumane and torturous, according to an AFP investigation.
Nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz,” the detention center is windowless, with prisoners kept under fluorescent lights that never switch off. Detainees say there are no clocks, no natural light, and no way to tell time. Cells are overcrowded, enclosed by chain-linked fencing, and compared to “chicken coops.”
Luis Gonzalez, a 25-year-old Cuban migrant, told AFP, “They don’t even treat animals like this. This is like torture.” He shares a space with about 30 men, three toilets, and no proper cleaning. Showers are rare, mosquitoes swarm the cells, and medical attention is almost non-existent.
The facility was hastily built in just eight days on an abandoned airfield and opened on July 2 under Republican Governor Ron DeSantis’s agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Rights groups say it violates federal protections and have filed lawsuits demanding its closure.
AFP documented several cases of alleged abuse. Michael Borrego Fernandez, 35, bled for days before being treated and later needed emergency surgery. Denied antibiotics, his wounds became infected. Another detainee, Marcos Puig, said guards beat him after he attempted to protest conditions, leaving him “covered in bruises.” Inmate Gonzalo Almanza Valdes also reported seeing guards assault others.
Lawyers argue detainees are being denied due process. Some have not seen a judge since arrival and cannot request bail because courts claim they lack jurisdiction over the state-run center. “That is completely illegal,” said attorney Magdalena Cuprys.
Environmentalists are also challenging the site, claiming it endangers the Everglades ecosystem. A federal judge recently ordered a 14-day halt on new construction while reviewing the case.
Despite the outrage, Trump’s administration reportedly views the Florida facility as a model for detention centers nationwide.
Nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz,” the detention center is windowless, with prisoners kept under fluorescent lights that never switch off. Detainees say there are no clocks, no natural light, and no way to tell time. Cells are overcrowded, enclosed by chain-linked fencing, and compared to “chicken coops.”
Luis Gonzalez, a 25-year-old Cuban migrant, told AFP, “They don’t even treat animals like this. This is like torture.” He shares a space with about 30 men, three toilets, and no proper cleaning. Showers are rare, mosquitoes swarm the cells, and medical attention is almost non-existent.
The facility was hastily built in just eight days on an abandoned airfield and opened on July 2 under Republican Governor Ron DeSantis’s agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Rights groups say it violates federal protections and have filed lawsuits demanding its closure.
AFP documented several cases of alleged abuse. Michael Borrego Fernandez, 35, bled for days before being treated and later needed emergency surgery. Denied antibiotics, his wounds became infected. Another detainee, Marcos Puig, said guards beat him after he attempted to protest conditions, leaving him “covered in bruises.” Inmate Gonzalo Almanza Valdes also reported seeing guards assault others.
Lawyers argue detainees are being denied due process. Some have not seen a judge since arrival and cannot request bail because courts claim they lack jurisdiction over the state-run center. “That is completely illegal,” said attorney Magdalena Cuprys.
Environmentalists are also challenging the site, claiming it endangers the Everglades ecosystem. A federal judge recently ordered a 14-day halt on new construction while reviewing the case.
Despite the outrage, Trump’s administration reportedly views the Florida facility as a model for detention centers nationwide.
