Alligator Alcatraz fuels disease, lawsuits

A newly built immigration detention site in the Florida Everglades, dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” has come under legal and public pressure after reports that detainees contracted a respiratory illness, possibly Covid-19. Knewz.com has learned that attorneys for detainees have alleged that the facility has become a “petri dish for disease,” while environmental and civil rights lawsuits mount against the $450 million project.

Allegations of disease outbreak at Alligator Alcatraz

In a legal filing, attorney Eric Lee said that his client, Luis Manuel Rivas Velásquez, fell ill with respiratory symptoms inside the facility. Velásquez was hospitalized in Miami, diagnosed with a respiratory infection, briefly returned to the camp, and then transferred to another detention site in El Paso, Texas. Lee said in a statement that the facility is “a petri dish for disease.” The lawsuit alleged that migrants with fevers and coughs were left untreated in crowded tents. Plaintiffs said ambulances arrived at the camp “multiple times a week” while detainees remained in close quarters with poor ventilation, extreme heat and limited hygiene. They also claimed detainees lacked access to showers, medical testing and timely treatment at the facility.

Legal battles over conditions at the facility

The health complaints build on earlier filings that accused the facility of blocking detainees’ access to legal counsel. Attorneys reported restrictions on visits, confiscated legal materials and limited opportunities to communicate with clients. The complaint argued these practices violated constitutional rights by placing “an unconstitutional barrier between detainees and their counsel.” Federal courts have intervened in similar detention cases in recent years, ordering authorities to improve medical care and sanitation after evidence of unsafe conditions. Lawyers challenging Alligator Alcatraz cited this precedent, urging courts to order inspections, mandate reporting and potentially halt operations if detainees’ health or rights are found at risk.

Environmental concerns over Alligator Alcatraz

Separate from the health-related lawsuits, environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe sued state and federal officials, claiming the facility was built in violation of the National Environmental Policy Act. Recently, a federal judge temporarily halted construction pending further review, though deportations and daily operations continued.

DeSantis defends the facility

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis defended the facility, telling reporters, “Operations at Alligator Alcatraz are ongoing and deportations are continuing.” The detention site, located in the Everglades, is projected to cost the state roughly $450 million annually. It is part of an effort by President Donald Trump’s administration to support what officials have called the largest mass deportation campaign in U.S. history. However, critics argue that the facility threatens both human rights and the Everglades ecosystem. The lawsuits highlight concerns that detainees’ health risks are compounded by construction in a fragile environment already under federal protection.

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