Alligator Alcatraz had cramped conditions, "small metal enclosures," watchdog finds

The Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General has issued a scathing report criticizing the conditions at the Florida immigration detention center known as Alligator Alcatraz. The now-closed facility, which operated on an airstrip in the middle of the Everglades, housed detainees in cramped conditions, with many confined in 18-square-foot metal enclosures for up to two hours at a time.

The Office of Inspector General's 33-page report, released on Monday, found that the housing units did not meet Florida state jail standards, providing detainees with only 28 square feet of living space per person. The cramped conditions, lack of common areas, and small metal enclosures, measuring 52 inches by 52 inches, were described as highly unconventional and not aligned with humane treatment standards.

The report also noted that detainees had minimal recreation time, only one hour per week, and that in some cases, the small metal enclosures may have been used as a disciplinary tool. Alligator Alcatraz, which was shuttered in June, was initially touted by Trump administration officials as a model for increasing detention space, but it drew intense criticism from advocacy groups and lawmakers who alleged poor conditions.

The DHS spokesperson defended the facility, stating that it met all federal detention standards and that any allegations of inhumane conditions were false.