Life inside notorious immigration centre 'Alligator Alcatraz' as it enters final days

August 30, 2025

The South Florida Detention Facility, nicknamed "Alligator Alcatraz," is being shut down following a judge's order, just two months after opening in the Florida Everglades as part of President Trump's immigration crackdown. The temporary detention center, built in June to house about 3,000 immigrants, became highly controversial with conflicting reports about conditions inside - Republicans described it as well-maintained while Democrats claimed it was unsanitary. Family members of detainees like Michael Borrego Fernandez and Marco Alvarez Bravo have reported serious medical concerns and difficulty locating their loved ones within the system, with Michael's case now part of a lawsuit alleging detainees were denied proper access to legal counsel.

Who is affected

Approximately 3,000 immigrant detainees who were housed at the facility (though it was never at capacity)
Families of detainees, including Yaneisy Fernandez and Gladys, who struggled to locate and communicate with their loved ones
Michael Borrego Fernandez, who suffered serious medical issues while detained and is part of an ongoing lawsuit
Marco Alvarez Bravo, who has a heart condition and disappeared from contact for over a week
Immigration lawyers representing clients at the facility, like Gunther Sanabria and Mich Gonzalez
The 59,000 individuals currently held in immigration detention across the US (as of mid-August)

What action is being taken

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is shutting down the "Alligator Alcatraz" facility in compliance with a judge's order
The closure process is already underway with only about 50% of detainees remaining, according to border tsar Tom Homan
Detainees are being transferred to other facilities, including the Krome detention facility in Marco's case
The government is appealing the judge's decision while still complying with the shutdown order
A lawsuit is ongoing regarding detainees' access to legal counsel through confidential in-person meetings

Why it matters

The facility became a polarizing symbol of President Trump's immigration policy
It represents part of a record-high immigration detention effort, with 59,000 individuals in detention across the US as of mid-August
Families report serious medical neglect and communication challenges when loved ones are detained
The judge's order to shut down the facility marks a significant setback for the Trump administration's immigration enforcement strategy
The case highlights the debate over conditions in immigration detention facilities, with Republicans and Democrats offering sharply contrasting assessments

What's next

The DHS will continue the shutdown process in compliance with the judge's 60-day timeframe
The government is appealing the judge's decision to shut down the facility
Other temporary facilities are being built in Republican-led states, including a second facility in Florida nicknamed "Deportation Depot" and another in Indiana called "Speedway Slammer"
Border tsar Tom Homan indicated the administration will use newly allocated funds to build more permanent "brick-and-mortar" detention facilities rather than temporary ones

Read full article from source: BBC