New Actor: DHS inspector general confirms inhumane detention at Alligator Alcatraz

The Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general released a report on the now‑closed Alligator Alcatraz facility in Florida. Inspectors found detainees confined in metal enclosures about 18 square feet, roughly 4 by 4 feet. Records showed 79 uses between July 2025 and January 2026, for up to two hours each, with an average just under an hour.

Staff referred to the spaces as calming areas and said doors were unlocked and some people asked to use them. Inspectors documented at least one case where an enclosure was used as discipline for not following commands. The watchdog said using such tiny enclosures does not meet humane treatment standards and was unprecedented in its ICE inspections.

Housing units in the tents gave 28 square feet per detainee at capacity, less than half of the 75 square feet Florida jail rules require. Detainees got one hour of recreation three days a week and could shower only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, short of federal and state rules. Inspectors also cited dirty or unavailable drinking water and insect‑infested showers, and found staff could not say which detention standards applied.

AI-synthesized from multiple reported sources