Alligator Alcatraz held detainees in cages the size of phone booths, DHS watchdog says

Key Points:

• A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) inspector general report confirmed that detainees at Florida’s now-closed Alligator Alcatraz immigration jail were frequently confined in small metal cages, a practice violating ICE standards and deemed inhumane.
• The report documented 79 instances of detainees being locked in cages no larger than 18 sq ft, less than half the required minimum space, with some used as disciplinary tools despite officials’ claims they were “calming areas.”
• The facility faced criticism for overcrowding, poor hygiene, restricted access to clean water and legal counsel, and harsh conditions that Amnesty International and lawmakers likened to torture.
• Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s office previously denied the use of cages and dismissed allegations as politically motivated, but the report and eyewitness accounts contradicted those claims.
• The jail closed in June 2026 amid lawsuits and environmental concerns; the DHS report highlights significant risks to detainee health and safety, underscoring ongoing human rights concerns in immigration detention.