Ochopee, Florida — A Department of Homeland Security watchdog found that immigrants held at Florida’s former “Alligator Alcatraz” detention center were sometimes placed in outdoor metal cages measuring about 16 square feet, smaller than federal detention standards allow.
According to the DHS inspector general, facility staff called the enclosures “calming areas” where detainees could “reflect on their behavior choices, manage their emotions, reduce stress and practice self-directed behavior.” Records reviewed by investigators showed 79 detainees spent time in the 16- and 18-square-foot cages between July 2025 and January 2026, with an average stay of just under an hour and a maximum of roughly two hours.
The inspector general said the spaces were “highly unconventional” and did not align with standards for humane treatment. ICE guidelines cited in the report generally call for at least 37 square feet for single-person detention rooms.
Amnesty International had previously alleged that detainees were shackled inside similar enclosures in extreme heat and called the practice torture. The DHS report did not go that far, but confirmed the cages existed and were used.
The facility opened in the Everglades in 2025 as part of Florida’s partnership with federal immigration authorities and later closed. DHS has disputed responsibility for day-to-day operations, saying ICE did not directly contract with Florida to run the facility.
The findings add to broader scrutiny over detention conditions and federal oversight at facilities used in the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement campaign.
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