OCHOPEE, FLORIDA — DHS inspectors conducted an unannounced visit to the facility in January 2026. Joseph Cuffari is the Homeland Security Inspector General who oversaw the review.

The report stated that the use of small metal enclosures is unprecedented among ICE facilities inspected by the OIG. It further stated that confining individuals in small metal enclosures presents risks to detainee health and wellbeing.

The report stated that the use of such restrictive spaces does not align with standards for humane treatment. Inspectors found that outdoor metal enclosures measured approximately 4 feet by 4 feet, or 16 square feet. Indoor metal enclosures offered about 18 square feet of floor space.

ICE national detention standards require a minimum of 37 square feet for single-person spaces. Detainees were held in the metal enclosures for periods ranging from several minutes to nearly two hours. The average time a detainee spent in a metal enclosure was just under one hour.

Facility staff described the metal enclosures as "calming areas" for detainees to de-escalate and have time alone. A sign on the holding cell stated it was used to provide a safe place for detainees to reflect on behavior choices and manage emotions. The metal enclosures had locking mechanisms.

The report found that the facility did not provide detainees with sufficient living space, creating cramped conditions. The eight housing units held between 22 and 31 individuals each, exceeding the standard of 75 square feet per detainee. Multiple detainees told inspectors they had limited or no access to clean drinking water.

Detainees told inspectors they could not clean the plastic cups from which they drank. Inspectors found showers infested with small bugs. Detainees told inspectors they showered three times a week.

The report noted failures in medical service, food service, and personal hygiene standards. It also noted a lack of sufficient recreation time for detainees. Inoperable telephones prevented detainees from contacting attorneys or families. The facility complied with intake and use-of-force standards.

The facility was built by the administration of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. It opened in July 2025 and was located in the Florida Everglades. The facility was built on the runway of the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management detained non-citizens at the facility from July 2025 to June 2026. The facility operated under a 287(g) agreement between Florida agencies and ICE. Reports indicate the facility operated at an estimated cost of at least US$1.4 billion in no-bid contracts.

Ron DeSantis said the facility was always meant to be temporary. He boasted of detaining and deporting more than 21,000 immigrants during the facility's operation. On September 14, DeSantis said the goal was to exceed standards at the facility. Alex Lanfranconi, communications manager for Ron DeSantis, said, "We’d make it even smaller if we could."

Amy Fischer, director for refugee and migrant rights at Amnesty International USA, criticized the findings. "The findings confirm what we documented months ago: the horrific treatment of people detained at Alligator Alcatraz was real, not a hoax, as Trump administration officials were on the record saying," Fischer said. She added, "This report should serve as a reminder that the public must never simply take the government’s word when officials deny that human rights violations are occurring." Amnesty International toured the facility in September 2025 and published a report in December detailing alleged human rights abuses.

Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, president and chief executive of Global Refuge, also responded to the report. "There is no euphemism that can sanitize caging human beings," Vignarajah said. He stated, "Calling a metal box a ‘calming area’ is an affront to the English language and to human dignity alike." President Donald Trump visited the facility during its operation.

Timeline

In March 2025, Democratic US Senators Jon Ossoff and Dick Durbin raised concerns about the cages. The facility opened in July 2025. The report confirmed that 79 detainees were held in small metal enclosures between July 17, 2025, and January 18, 2026. In August 2025, an alliance of environmental groups filed an amended lawsuit against DHS, FEMA, and the state of Florida.

Amnesty International toured the facility in September 2025. Ron DeSantis said on September 14 that the goal was to exceed standards at the facility. Amnesty International published a report in December detailing alleged human rights abuses at the facility.

What's New

Additional reporting confirms that all detainees were given an ICE handbook stating that Alligator Alcatraz is a facility of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He said on September 14 that the goal was to exceed standards at the facility.

ICE told the inspector general that detainees were shackled when escorted to the enclosures but not while inside them. He said the facility was always meant to be temporary. Joseph Cuffari is the Homeland Security Inspector General.

Why It Matters

The report establishes that the use of small metal enclosures is unprecedented among ICE facilities inspected by the OIG. This finding contrasts with federal standards requiring significantly more space and questions the alignment of state-operated detention sites with humane treatment norms. The facility's operation under a 287(g) agreement and the presence of ICE personnel despite DHS disclaiming a management contract highlight complex jurisdictional overlaps.

The closure of the facility in June 2026 due to hurricane risks reflects the temporary yet high-cost nature of the project, which reportedly involved at least US$1.4 billion in no-bid contracts. The documented health risks and lack of basic hygiene access reported by inspectors and detainees point to systemic operational failures that persisted throughout the facility's existence.