Democrats and ACLU Challenge Conditions at Everglades 'Alligator Alcatraz' with Congressional Tours Revealing 336 Detainees

The Everglades Detention Facility, also referred to as "Alligator Alcatraz," has drawn sharp criticism from several Democratic lawmakers and civil rights organizations. Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost described the facility as an internment camp operating under the guise of immigration enforcement and has pledged to continue demanding accountability. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a lawsuit challenging the legal conditions at the facility, highlighting what it calls a "legal black hole." More than 336 detainees remain at the Everglades site, according to congressional sources. Meanwhile, Congressman Steven Horsford reported concerning conditions at the Nevada Southern Detention Center in Pahrump, Nevada, where medical treatment reportedly can take weeks, detainees lack reliable access to immigration attorneys and resources, and transfers occur without notice. Horsford also noted that congressional oversight has been obstructed, with ICE personnel blocking his access and involving law enforcement. Other Democrats, including Representatives Jeff Merkley and Paul Tonko, have joined calls for transparency and accountability at multiple detention centers, including the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility, where Tonko was denied entry. The collective efforts of these lawmakers emphasize concerns over human rights, due process, and the treatment of detainees within the immigration detention system.