DHS Watchdog Confirms 'Alligator Alcatraz' Used Punitive Cages, Ignoring Federal Standards
A Department of Homeland Security inspector general report confirms that the shuttered Florida detention center known as 'Alligator Alcatraz' routinely confined detainees in small outdoor metal cages, violating federal humane treatment standards. The report details 79 instances between July 2025 and January 2026 where detainees were locked in 18-square-foot enclosures for up to two hours, often as punishment. While Florida Governor Ron DeSantis dismissed the findings as politically motivated, the report highlights systemic failures in hygiene, medical care, and living space that posed significant risks to detainee health.
