Disease Outbreak at “Alligator Alcatraz” Sparks Legal Action

• Disease outbreak reported at Alligator Alcatraz
• Accusations of inhumane conditions
• Lawsuits over environmental impact

A newly built immigrant detention center in Florida’s Everglades, nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz,” faces a new lawsuit following reports that a respiratory illness, possibly Covid-19, spread rapidly among detainees.

Complaints include unsanitary conditions, extreme overcrowding, disease outbreaks, and obstacles preventing migrants from communicating with their attorneys.

An attorney for one of the detainees described the camp as a “petri dish for disease,” while activists and advocates report that ambulances arrive at the facility frequently.

Outbreak at Florida detention center

Why it matters

This is just one of several ongoing legal disputes involving the facility.

On August 7, a federal judge ordered a temporary halt to construction after environmental groups argued that the center violates the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires assessing the ecological impact of large-scale projects.

Critics also claim that detainees endure unsafe, unsanitary, and inhumane conditions in violation of environmental laws.

In addition, the facility is estimated to cost the state about $450 million per year to operate.

The project is part of President Donald Trump’s plan to carry out what he describes as “the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history.”

What we know about the disease outbreak at «Alligator Alcatraz»

In a court filing, attorney Eric Lee reported that his client, Luis Manuel Rivas Velásquez, developed respiratory symptoms along with other migrants.

Rivas Velásquez was hospitalized in Miami, diagnosed with a respiratory infection, briefly returned to the camp, and later transferred to another facility in El Paso, Texas.

Another lawsuit claims that “Alligator Alcatraz” has poor sanitation, limited access to legal assistance, and overcrowding in tents.

The complaint describes the site as a remote camp “without adequate medical infrastructure,” where hundreds of people share cramped spaces under extreme heat and humidity, with poor ventilation and limited hygiene access.

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Plaintiffs allege that “migrants with fever and cough were left in their bunks without testing or treatment,” while ambulances arrive “several times a week.”

They also accuse authorities of creating “an unconstitutional barrier between detainees and their attorneys” by restricting visits and confiscating legal materials.

The case is part of a second legal front: an environmental lawsuit filed by conservation groups and the Miccosukee Tribe, which claims construction proceeded without the required federal review.

What they say

Eric Lee reaffirmed to The Guardian on August 12, 2025: “It’s a petri dish for disease.”

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis responded on August 7 to the court order halting construction:

“Operations at Alligator Alcatraz continue and deportations are still underway.”

What’s next

A federal judge continues to review requests to expand attorney access, improve medical care, and maintain the pause on new construction.

Possible measures include medical inspections, new reporting requirements, and court orders if detainees’ rights or health are found to be at risk.

The future of “Alligator Alcatraz” lies in the hands of the courts, which must decide whether allegations of inhumane conditions and possible environmental violations are enough to halt or reform the facility’s operations.

Do you think detention centers like this should continue operating in the United States under these conditions?

SOURCE: Newsweek