A U.S. Department of Energy inspector general report says detainees at the now-closed “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration detention center in Florida’s Everglades were confined for short periods in small metal enclosures. The report describes the enclosures as mesh-covered or used as “calming areas,” with detainees being kept inside for up to about two hours, according to outlet summaries.
The watchdog also raises health and safety concerns. It characterizes the confinement practices as carrying “significant risks” to detainees’ health and calls the use of small metal cells “unprecedented.” Other reporting based on the same document adds that the facility experienced overcrowding and unsanitary conditions.
Outlets differ mainly in emphasis and description: some focus on the detainees’ placement in small outdoor cages, while others highlight that the enclosures functioned as calming areas. Across coverage, the central point is consistent: the report finds detainees were held in small metal cages or enclosures and that the conditions posed risk.
