Shut down “Alligator Alcatraz” now

The Everglades Detention Facility nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz” opened in July 2025 as part of the Trump administration’s plan to expand mass detention and deportation by working with state and local authorities.

Just weeks after opening, serious problems have already been reported. These include filthy conditions like overflowing toilets and no working showers, a lack of medical care, and limited access to legal support.

This facility must be shut down. The U.S. must also end its abusive detention and deportation system that continues to violate the rights and dignity of migrants.

Here’s what you can do:

Write to the Governor of the State of Florida urging him to:

• Shut down the Everglades Detention Facility immediately and ensure that Florida is not complicit in human rights abuses linked to immigration detention.

A symbol of cruelty and racism in U.S. immigration policy

The Everglades Detention Facility nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz”, opened in July 2025 in a remote, swampy part of Florida. With a capacity to detain around 3,000 people, it is part of the Trump administration’s push to expand immigration detention and deportations on a massive scale. The facility reflects the administration’s cruel and racist approach to migrants and people seeking safety.

Around the time of its opening, President Trump made a disturbing comment, saying the facility would teach those detained “how to run away from an alligator.” The Florida Republican Party also tweeted, “Florida’s gator-guarded prison for illegal aliens. Surrounded by swamps & pythons, it’s a one-way ticket to regret.”

The State of Florida operates and funds the facility but expects reimbursement from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This sets a dangerous example of how states can support and extend the reach of the federal government’s mass detention system.

Inhumane conditions and growing harm

Just days after it opened, disturbing reports began to surface from inside the Everglades facility. These include:

• Unsanitary conditions, such as no clean water, overflowing toilets, and no access to hygiene products
• A lack of medical care, even for people with chronic illnesses or urgent health needs
• Limited access to lawyers or legal information, preventing people from challenging their detention
• Serious psychological harm, driven by the facility’s isolation and dangerous location

The facility adds to an already abusive detention system in the U.S. As of July 13, 2025, ICE was detaining 56,816 people in over 100 facilities nationwide. Conditions continue to worsen due to overcrowding and aggressive deportation policies under the Trump administration’s goal of removing one million people in 2025. Already this year, 13 people have died in ICE custody—more than the total number of deaths in 2024.

President Trump recently signed H.R.1, the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” into law. It commits \$170.7 billion over four years to immigration enforcement, including detention. Instead of improving conditions or protecting rights, the funding is enabling further harm.

Detention must be the exception, not the rule

Under international human rights law, immigration detention should only be used in rare and exceptional cases. People—regardless of their immigration status—have a right to liberty. Detention must be clearly prescribed by law, based on a legitimate and specific reason, and must be necessary, proportionate, and non-discriminatory.

Authorities must show, case by case, that detention is justified and that no alternative would be effective. Legitimate reasons include verifying someone’s identity or preventing escape, but only after a fair assessment.

Detention conditions must meet basic human rights standards. This includes access to clean water, food, medical care, legal support, and regular contact with the outside world. The U.S. government is also bound by its own standards, including ICE’s Performance-Based National Detention Standards, which require humane conditions, access to recreation, legal resources, communication, and healthcare.

The Everglades facility fails to meet these standards and represents a grave violation of people’s rights. It must be shut down, and the U.S. must commit to ending the abusive system of mass detention and deportation.

Please take action as soon as possible until January 31, 2026. The UA will be duly updated should there be the need for further action.