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DHS Watchdog Report Reveals Detainees Held in Cages at Florida Detention Facility
Just the facts
The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General published a report documenting safety, hygiene, and living condition violations at the federal immigration detention facility in Ochopee, Florida, known as Alligator Alcatraz. Inspectors documented 79 instances between July 2025 and January 2026 where detainees were placed in outdoor metal enclosures measuring 18 square feet, less than half of Immigration and Customs Enforcement's 37-square-foot standard. The report also detailed overcrowding, poor food hygiene standards, inoperable telephones, and restricted access to clean drinking water prior to the facility's closure in June 2026. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis's administration previously operated the facility on behalf of the federal government before closing it ahead of hurricane season.
Why this is news
A Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General report revealed that immigration detainees at the Florida Soft-Sided Facility in Ochopee, Florida, were locked in small outdoor metal cages measuring approximately 18 square feet.
Sources
This summary is compiled strictly from the original reporting below.