Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ confined migrants in ‘small metal enclosures’: DHS internal watchdog

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Trending on The Hill - September 14, 2026

Trending on The Hill - September 14, 2026

A new report reviewing the conditions at the now-closed Alligator Alcatraz center in Florida slammed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for failing to meet a variety of federal standards, describing “unprecedented” treatment of migrants, including containing them in cages about the size of a phone booth.

The Monday report from the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) is the first such federal review of the facility, which is referred to in the report as the Florida Soft-Sided Facility.

The report describes alarming conditions, including unhygienic practices for food and water as well as limited opportunities for migrants to bathe themselves.

OIG said Alligator Alcatraz provided half the living space for migrants required under federal law – just 28 square feet when the facility was at max capacity, far from the 75-square-foot mandate.

ICE officials also used........

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