A new federal watchdog report has revealed troubling conditions inside the immigration detention facility known as “Alligator Alcatraz,” including the use of small outdoor metal enclosures for detainees.
The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General inspected the Florida facility and found that detainees were placed in metal enclosures measuring about 18 square feet. Investigators said the use of these enclosures was unprecedented among the detention facilities they had previously inspected and created significant health and safety risks.
The enclosures were described by facility staff as “calming areas.” According to the report, they were used between July 2025 and January 2026, with detainees spending anywhere from several minutes to nearly two hours inside. Investigators documented at least 79 uses of the enclosures.
The report also found that the facility failed to comply with a number of federal detention standards. Inspectors cited problems involving medical care, personal hygiene, food service, environmental health and safety, and the amount of living space available to detainees.
Federal standards call for at least 37 square feet of space per detainee in certain housing settings, while the small metal enclosures provided only about 18 square feet. Investigators also found cramped living quarters and other conditions that did not meet required standards.
The facility, officially known as the Florida Soft-Sided Facility, was built in the Florida Everglades and became a highly controversial part of the immigration detention system. It was closed in June 2026 after months of criticism and legal challenges.
The watchdog report provides a more detailed account of conditions inside the facility and raises questions about how the metal enclosures were being used. Investigators noted that staff said some detainees requested to use them, but the report also documented at least one case in which an enclosure was used as discipline after a detainee allegedly failed to comply with a lawful command.
The findings add to the controversy surrounding the facility and its treatment of detainees. The report's conclusions are based on the OIG's inspection and records reviewed by investigators, rather than on allegations alone.