A bombshell 33-page report from the Department of Homeland Security's Inspector General confirmed long-standing allegations of "deplorable" and "inhumane" conditions at the now-shuttered immigration detention facility in Florida known as "Alligator Alcatraz."
The federal findings, which include photographic evidence of detainees held in cages and living in filth, validate over a year of investigative reporting done by the Scripps News Group in West Palm Beach and the desperate warnings of immigration attorneys.
WATCH: DHS report confirms shocking conditions at 'Alligator Alcatraz'
The facility, which opened in July 2025 and closed after an unannounced federal inspection, has been a focal point of controversy.
Attorneys and the families of those detained have consistently sounded the alarm about the treatment of individuals inside.
Shocking details from federal investigators
The federal report paints a grim picture of life inside the facility, concluding that conditions fell below numerous federal standards for health, safety and hygiene.
Just some of the allegations detailed in the report:
- Metal cages: Detainees were placed in metal enclosures the size of a phone booth, which were allegedly used as "calming areas."
- Unclean water: Drinking water was stored in coolers directly next to toilets.
- Filthy showers: Photographs show showers filled with bugs and grime.
- Food safety violations: The report also cited multiple failures in food handling and safety protocols.
"Confirms a lot of the things my clients were saying"
For immigration attorney Richard Hujber, who has represented numerous clients held at the facility, the report is a painful vindication.
"The food was horrific from what my clients would tell me," Hujber said. "This report just, you know, kind of confirms a lot of the things my clients were saying, and a lot of them were just too scared to really go after them and file reports or file complaints."
Hujber, a veteran immigration lawyer with over 30 years of experience, said he has never encountered a situation like this. He says his clients told him of guards who "mocked, made fun of, treated like animals, pressured to sign away their rights, pressured to sign deportation orders that they could not even understand."
A new crisis for detainees
With the facility now shuttered, Hujber says a new crisis has emerged. His clients have been scattered to detention centers across the United States, from California to Washington state, making legal representation extraordinarily difficult.
"I've got clients all around Imperial, California, Adelanto, in Texas, in Louisiana. I've had clients in Spokane and Tacoma, Washington, which can't be further from South Florida," he said.
While Hujber emphasizes his support for secure borders and law enforcement, he says the situation at "Alligator Alcatraz" went far beyond acceptable protocol.
"There was no rhyme or reason to this," he said.
Read the full report
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