Inside ‘Alligator Alcatraz’: Detainees Say Conditions Are Torturous

Juan Palma, a 48-year-old Cuban migrant, has spent nearly two weeks in Florida’s controversial detention facility nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz.” He describes the place as “torturous,” with constant lights, mosquito infestations, and crowded conditions—33 people to a cell, and showers only every few days.

His wife, Yanet Lopez, says she only knows he’s there because of brief calls. With no attorney access, she feels powerless to fight his deportation, despite his criminal record.

Local politicians defend the facility. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart claimed some reports are exaggerated, calling it “a detention center. No one wants to be in one.”

Meanwhile, a federal judge is set to hear a lawsuit August 6 over potential environmental damage from the facility. Advocates, including Miami’s archbishop, continue pushing for oversight and basic human rights.