Former Detainee Describes Alleged Inhumane Conditions Inside Florida ICE Jail
A former detainee released from a Florida Immigration and Customs Enforcement jail described alleged inhumane conditions inside. He spoke to CBS News after his release and called the facility "Alligator Alcatraz." He said cells were overcrowded, hygiene was poor and medical care was delayed or denied.
The man described limited access to showers and clean clothing and said exposure to extreme heat made conditions worse. He recounted guards using solitary confinement and punitive measures that he said were disproportionate to detainees' behavior.
CBS News posted the interview on its Facebook page, where the account drew public attention and calls for more oversight of detention facilities. Officials with Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not immediately respond to the report for comment.
đ Key Facts
- Former detainee Maikel Rojas says 32 people shared three toilets with cameras above them inside the Alligator Alcatraz ICE facility.
- Rojas alleges spoiled food, barred family visits, limited legal access and a 45-pound weight loss during nearly five months in detention.
- His wife, Roxana Torres, credits a habeas corpus petition for prompting his transfer to Krome and March release on an ankle monitor, though his immigration case is unresolved.
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