Detainees at the controversial Florida immigration facility dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” are allegedly being denied basic legal rights, including access to attorneys and bond hearings, according to lawyers representing migrants held there.
In court filings and statements this week, immigration attorneys seeking an emergency restraining order say detainees at the Dade-Collier detention site are being held without formal charges, denied legal counsel, and cut off from the immigration court system. The facility, located at a remote airport site in Ochopee, Florida, opened on July 1 and has already drawn national attention for reports of harsh and unsanitary conditions.
“This is an extraordinary and disturbing situation where hundreds are effectively being held in legal limbo,” the attorneys said. “They’re incommunicado, unable to contact courts or counsel, under legal authority that has not been explained—and may not even exist.”
At least 100 detainees have already been deported without court appearances, the attorneys told a judge during a hearing Monday, according to The Associated Press. Lawyers also revealed that immigration courts have refused to accept bond filings, claiming they have no jurisdiction, prompting calls for immediate action from both state and federal authorities to resolve the legal vacuum.
Advocacy groups representing the detainees—including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Americans for Immigrant Justice—filed a lawsuit earlier this month accusing the state of violating detainees’ due process rights and obstructing legal access. The lawsuit describes conditions inside the camp as extreme: unbearable heat, mosquito infestations, tent flooding, and limited access to clean water.
While the state has denied wrongdoing, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ legal team acknowledged during the hearing that some changes have been made since the July 16 lawsuit. Nicholas Meros, an attorney representing DeSantis, said the facility has since installed video conferencing rooms for legal consultations and now permits in-person attorney visits.
Still, legal advocates argue those steps are inadequate and too late for many already deported without a hearing.
“These restrictions not only violate the rights of those being detained, but also infringe on the ability of legal aid organizations to perform their work,” the lawsuit claims.
U.S. District Judge Rodolfo Ruiz did not issue a ruling but instructed the civil rights attorneys to refile their complaint as a formal request for a preliminary injunction. A full in-person hearing is scheduled for August 18, when the court is expected to address the growing concerns surrounding the legal and human rights of detainees at Alligator Alcatraz.
