DHS watchdog finds Florida held 79 immigrants in outdoor cages at Alligator Alcatraz
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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's watchdog found that 79 immigrants were held in small outdoor metal cages at the now-shuttered Alligator Alcatraz facility in Florida's Everglades. The Office of the Inspector General called the practice unprecedented and dangerous, and found the facility failed hygiene, medical, food, and safety standards. The report comes after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ordered the temporary facility closed in June 2026.
Key Facts
- The OIG found that 79 immigrants were held in outdoor metal cages of about 18 sq ft at the facility between July 2025 and January 2026.
- Detainees were held in the cages for periods ranging from minutes to nearly two hours, at least once as a disciplinary measure.
- The facility was built in eight days in 2025 in the Everglades and was closed in June 2026 after Governor DeSantis said it was only meant to be temporary.
- OIG inspectors found detainees had to use showers infested with small bugs and were allowed to shower only three times a week.
The Outdoor Cages
The OIG report states that between July 2025 and January 2026, the facility kept 79 immigrants in small metal enclosures described by staff as 'calming areas' for people to 'deescalate and have time alone'. The cages measured about 18 sq ft (1.67 sq m), and the OIG called their use 'unprecedented among detention facilities' and dangerous. Detainees were held in the cages for periods ranging from minutes to nearly two hours, at least once as a disciplinary measure. The report stated that 'the use of such restrictive spaces is highly unconventional and does not align with standards for humane treatment'.
Facility Conditions and Oversight
OIG inspectors found that immigrants held at the facility had to use showers infested with small bugs and were allowed to shower only three times a week. The facility did not provide sufficient living space, 'creating cramped conditions for detainees who spent most of their time in their housing units', according to the report. The OIG concluded the centre did not comply with a number of standards for hygiene, medical care, food, health, and safety. DHS officials said Florida, not the federal government, had authority over day-to-day operations at the facility, which was established by a DeSantis executive order but funded by the federal government.
Background and Closure
The facility was built over eight days in 2025 in the Everglades, a protected wetland known for its alligators. President Trump toured the facility in July 2025 and once joked that immigrants held there would need to learn 'how to run away' from the reptiles. In June 2026, Governor DeSantis said the facility would close as it was only meant to be temporary. The OIG conducted a surprise inspection in January 2026 at the facility, which had become one of the most notorious immigration detention centres in the US.
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