Immigration Detention Center Faces Legal Action
On Tuesday, July 1, 2025, President Donald Trump is set to tour an immigration detention facility dubbed “Crocodile Alcatraz” located in O’Copy, Florida. This comes as detainees held at the Everglades facility recently filed a lawsuit against both the Trump and DeSantis administrations, seeking access to legal representation.
The action, part of a class action lawsuit, follows eight days of rapid construction at the former runway, and it raises legal challenges regarding the detention center, which began receiving detainees two weeks prior. Since the transfer to this national facility, legal representatives have reported lengthy waits and barring from entry, alongside concerns about a lack of confidential communication with their clients, violating constitutional rights.
The detainees, along with their lawyers, are asking federal courts to order the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and state officials in Florida to allow in-person visits and unsupervised phone calls to ensure access to legal counsel.
Bacardi Jackson, executive director of the Florida ACLU representing the plaintiffs, criticized the situation, stating that what is happening goes beyond policy failures to moral ones. He highlighted the rapid establishment of what he described as a “shadow prison” that disrupts due process and endangers the lives of those detained, isolating them from their families and lawyers.
Some detainees are calling the detention center “Alligator Alcatraz,” and the DeSantis administration has even been selling branded merchandise for fundraising. However, the federal government has distanced itself from the detention, denying responsibility and stating that it is not technically a correctional facility, complicating matters for attorneys trying to advocate on behalf of detainees.
Conditions and Complaints
During a press conference in Tampa, Gov. Ron DeSantis defended the conditions at the center, remarking that they aren’t intended to be luxurious and assuring that basic standards are upheld. He emphasized that what is being provided isn’t merely shelter and food but rather addresses minimum requirements.
ACLU representatives and others are advocating against the Department of Homeland Security, its leaders, and the state’s response. Transparency around the number of detainees has been questioned, with a recent report revealing a list of 750 individuals detained, many of whom have no criminal records or pending accusations in the U.S.
The lawsuit focuses on the detainees’ limited access to legal processes, but the complaint also details dire living conditions, including lack of hygiene and an overwhelming security presence that inmates face.
Among the plaintiffs is Michael Borrego Fernandez, a Cuban man who was transferred to the facility on July 5 and required emergency surgery due to health complications while detained. His family claims that the facility staff failed to provide necessary post-operative care, despite being prescribed antibiotics.
Following an arrest for a parole violation, Borrego Fernandez’s family, concerned about his treatment at the center, is seeking to facilitate his deportation back to Cuba.
In response to the lawsuit, a DHS spokesperson suggested that violations of law among individuals in detention are less significant than those stemming from illegal immigration. Meanwhile, the detention site is embroiled in two additional lawsuits related to environmental concerns and governance oversight.
Representatives from both the Democratic Party and the DeSantis administration have not responded to inquiries regarding the situation.
