Federal investigators found that immigrants were held in small outdoor metal enclosures at a Florida detention facility known as 'Alligator Alcatraz,' according to a report by the Department of Homeland Security's Office of the Inspector General (OIG). The OIG conducted a surprise inspection of the facility in January, which has become one of the most notorious immigration detention centers in the United States.
DHS officials stated in their response included in the investigation report that Florida, not the federal government, held authority over the facility's day-to-day operations. The facility was established by the state of Florida through an executive order signed by then-Governor Ron DeSantis, though the federal government funded its operational costs.
The detention facility was constructed in the Everglades, a protected wetland, over eight days in 2025. During his presidency, Donald Trump had reportedly joked that immigrants held there would need to learn "how to run away" from the facility's reptiles. Civil rights groups have decried the conditions as inhumane.
According to the OIG report, between July 2025 and January 2026, the facility housed 79 immigrants in small metal enclosures. Investigators described these enclosures as "calming areas" intended for individuals to "deescalate and have time alone." Immigrants were held in these spaces for periods ranging from minutes to nearly two hours, and at least once, their use was a disciplinary measure, the OIG stated.
"The use of such restrictive spaces is highly unconventional and does not align with standards for humane treatment," the report concluded. The OIG also found that the immigration detention center violated basic standards for hygiene, medical care, food, and safety.
In June 2026, DeSantis announced the facility would close, noting it was intended only as a temporary measure.