Florida's 'Alligator Alcatraz' handbook revealed amid lawsuits
A detainee handbook filed in court shows strict rules at a new Florida Everglades immigration detention center—nicknamed 'Alligator Alcatraz'—including color‑coded uniforms, wristbands, 5:30 a.m. breakfasts and segregation by criminal history. The facility, opened by the state in July 2025 and toured by President Trump, faces multiple lawsuits from civil‑rights and environmental groups; a federal judge in Miami ordered a wind‑down in August, an appellate panel stayed that injunction in early September, and plaintiffs this week sought a preliminary injunction in Fort Myers asserting the state and private contractors lack authority to detain migrants.
Legal
Immigration
🔍 Key Facts
- Handbook in court documents describes color‑coded uniforms, wristbands, orientation video, limited allowed personal items, and strict discipline (e.g., no shirt removal in units, head‑count rules).
- Facility opened July 2025 on a remote Everglades airstrip; federal judge in Miami ordered it to wind down in August 2025, but an appellate panel stayed that order in early September 2025.
- Civil‑rights and environmental groups have filed at least three lawsuits challenging the facility; plaintiffs asked a federal court in Fort Myers for an injunction this week arguing state agencies and private contractors cannot lawfully detain migrants.