DACA Recipient Among First Transferred to ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Detention Center, Raising Alarm Over Conditions

Orlando, FL — An immigration attorney for a 36‑year‑old DACA recipient from Central Florida reports that her client is among the first detainees transferred from Orange County jail to the newly opened detention facility in the Florida Everglades, dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz.” The transfer, she said, came despite his legal status in the U.S. under DACA.

According to the attorney, the detainee arrived in the U.S. with his family from Mexico in 2001, has maintained active DACA status with work authorization, and has family ties and stable employment in the U.S.

After four days without a shower, intermittent air conditioning, and extremely poor sanitation conditions, he finally managed to shower. During that time, he described being kept in poorly ventilated tents, plagued by swarming mosquitoes and non-functional toilet systems. The facility—constructed rapidly at a defunct airfield in the Everglades under DeSantis administration emergency powers—is located in a remote, swampy environment surrounded by alligators, pythons, and relentless heat.

The attorney also emphasized that Orange County jail staff were not involved in transporting inmates to the facility. An agreement to transport individuals to ICE custody and facilities—including Alligator Alcatraz—is pending approval by the Orange County Board of Commissioners. The criteria for determining who is transferred remains unclear. Furthermore, ICE has not provided transparency on how many detainees have been moved or their identities.

Advocates and attorneys have expressed concern over a range of human rights issues, including lack of basic hygiene, continuous lighting, substandard food, restricted access to legal counsel, and possible violations of due process.

Attorney Statement

“Never in a million years did I think that a DACA recipient with legal status here in the U.S. would end up in a makeshift facility like this—deep in the Everglades, in tents with no privacy, no adequate medical care, and barely functional toilets,” stated immigration attorney Josephine Arroyo.

Background Details

• Facility Overview: The all‑purpose migrant detention center, described as “Alligator Alcatraz,” was built in under two weeks on an abandoned runway ~45 miles west of Miami. It can accommodate up to 3,000–5,000 detainees using temporary tents, trailers, and basic holding cages.

• Policy & Oversight: The site is controversial for bypassing standard procurement and environmental regulations under state emergency powers. Critics point to its location in a federally protected Everglades area, and human rights advocates have raised serious concerns about detainee treatment.

• Transparency & Legal Challenges: Democratic lawmakers have sued Gov. DeSantis for blocking access to the facility, asserting that legislative oversight has been unlawfully denied. The administration has scheduled a limited tour for legislators and members of Congress.