Detainees Allegedly Beaten and Pepper-Sprayed at 'Alligator Alcatraz' Over Phone Complaint
Guards at a state-run immigration detention facility in Florida's Everglades, infamously nicknamed "Alligator Alcatraz," are accused of severely beating and pepper-spraying detainees earlier this month. The alleged violence erupted after detainees complained about being unable to access working telephones, according to a lawyer representing two of the individuals held at the remote site.
Lawyer Details Violent Retaliation for Phone Access Grievance
In a court declaration, attorney Katherine Blankenship stated that her clients and other detainees were targeted on April 2 following their complaints about inoperative phones. These devices serve as the primary means for detainees to communicate with family members and legal counsel, making their functionality critical. Blankenship described how guards initially taunted those held in a cell before escalating to aggressive behavior, yelling and threatening to enter the cage.
When one detainee approached a guard, he was punched in the face, sparking a broader assault. Guards then began beating other detainees in the cell. One of Blankenship's clients was punched in the right eye, thrown to the floor, and beaten by several guards. He was kicked in the head, sustaining injuries to his shoulder and arm. According to the declaration, a guard placed his knee on the detainee's neck while restraining him. A photo from a video call nearly a week later showed the detainee with a bruised eye, supporting the account.
"The officers beat several people during this incident and broke another detained individual’s wrist," Blankenship wrote, noting that the detainee with the broken wrist is not one of her clients. Phone service was restored the following day without any explanation for the prior disruption.
Federal Court Order and Ongoing Legal Battle
Blankenship's declaration was included in a court filing that accuses state and federal officials of failing to comply with a federal judge's preliminary injunction. Last month, U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell in Fort Myers, Florida, ordered detention center officials to provide access to timely, free, confidential, unmonitored, and unrecorded outgoing legal calls. The judge also mandated that facility officials supply at least one operable telephone for every 25 people held at the site.
This order came in response to a lawsuit alleging that detainees' First Amendment rights were being violated. State officials have denied restricting detainees' access to their attorneys, citing security and staffing challenges as reasons for any difficulties. Federal officials, who are also defendants in the case, have denied that detainees' First Amendment rights were infringed upon.
Political Context and Facility Conditions
The Everglades facility was constructed last summer at a remote airstrip by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis's administration to support former President Donald Trump's immigration policies. Florida has also built a second immigration detention center in north Florida, expanding its capacity for holding detainees.
During a visit last week to the detention center, U.S. Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Florida Democrat, reported that she was not given the opportunity to speak with detainees. She described the conditions at the facility as "inhumane" and stated, "The way the detainees are housed is cruel and unnecessary." Her comments echo broader concerns about the treatment and living standards at the site, which some lawmakers have labeled an "internment camp."
The Florida Department of Emergency Management did not respond to questions emailed about the incident, leaving the allegations unaddressed by state authorities. As legal proceedings continue, the case highlights ongoing debates over immigration enforcement, detainee rights, and accountability within detention facilities.
