Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Alex Woodward

Alligator Alcatraz put immigrants in small cages to calm them down, DHS watchdog finds

  • A Department of Homeland Security inspector general report revealed severe non-compliance at the Alligator Alcatraz immigration detention center in Florida, including bug-infested showers and a lack of clean water.
  • Detainees at the facility were confined in phonebooth-sized metal cages used as self-described calming areas, a practice federal investigators called unprecedented and inhumane.
  • The facility was built to support President Donald Trump 's mass deportation campaign at a cost of $300 million, operating for one year before closing.
  • A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson denied claims of inhumane conditions, stating the facility was consistent with past administration standards.
  • Alligator Alcatraz faces ongoing lawsuits from former detainees over unsanitary conditions and from environmental groups over ecological damage to the Everglades.

IN FULL

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.