Human rights advocates and religious leaders are set to converge for a vigil late Sunday outside the Alligator Alcatraz detention camp. This ongoing protest, now in its eighth week, demands the facility’s closure and the cessation of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sweeps. Joining this crucial demonstration will be a prominent representative from Amnesty International USA, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
The vigil comes amidst shocking reports that detail a grim reality in the detention center. Allegations of medical neglect, breaches of attorney-client privilege, and multiple detainees seemingly vanishing from official federal records have emerged, raising significant concerns about the conditions inside. Attention has turned to the troubling lack of established protocols for attorneys wishing to contact their clients at Alligator Alcatraz. According to court papers filed by ACLU attorneys, detainees are often moved just ahead of scheduled lawyer visits, creating an environment rife with legal challenges.
Further scrutiny has been placed on the facility following the release of 9-1-1 call records by the Naples Daily News, detailing numerous urgent calls related to medical emergencies, including heart attacks and strokes. Detainees have reported alleged refusals of medical care, which seriously aggravates the dire circumstances they face.
As reported by the Miami Herald, the situation is further complicated by the disappearance of records regarding the whereabouts of a significant portion of the detainees. Specifically, in July, it was noted that around 800 of the 1,800 men held at Alligator Alcatraz could not be accounted for. Some of these individuals were reportedly deported without proper documentation, despite having legal grounds to remain in the country.
Amy Fischer, the Director of Refugee and Migrant Rights at Amnesty International USA, characterized Alligator Alcatraz as “a human rights disaster.” She stated, “Amnesty International has heard horrific reports that people who have been caged in Alligator Alcatraz have gone through hell.” Fischer emphasizes that the conditions within the facility are emblematic of a broader system designed for inhumanity, stating, “These conditions are not isolated failures — they are part and parcel of the system designed for cruelty and meant to dehumanize our immigrant friends and neighbors.” With this conviction, Fischer plans to join the activists at Sunday’s vigil, advocating for immediate action from both President Trump and Governor DeSantis to close the facility.
The Rev. Kim Robles of Pinecrest Presbyterian Church echoes this sentiment, describing the detention circumstances as “inhumane and inexcusable.” He asserts the importance of compassion, stating, “People who are being detained and their families and attorneys are children of God, like every one of us,” and urges that they must receive the medical care they need. The government, he insists, must not abandon them in their time of anguish.
Noelle Damico, Director of Social Justice at the Workers Circle and one of the organizers of the vigil, refers to Alligator Alcatraz as a “U.S. blacksite” where individuals are “being disappeared.” Damico’s commentary highlights the extreme urgency for action: “We must shut Alligator Alcatraz down and stop the replication of this model immediately.”
In a broader legal context, a recent federal appellate court decision allowed operations at Alligator Alcatraz to continue by putting a hold on a lower court’s ruling that had ordered the facility to wind down by October. This development raises questions about the future of the detention center and the legal rights of those housed within it.
In response to these challenges, DeSantis’ administration hastened the construction of Alligator Alcatraz in June amidst a controversial backdrop. Located on an isolated airstrip surrounded by wetlands, the facility was designed to support efforts to expedite the deportation of individuals in the U.S. unlawfully. In July, Trump visited the facility, suggesting it could serve as a model for future detention centers as his administration sought to bolster the infrastructure necessary for increased deportations.
As the weekly vigils continue, the message from religious leaders and activists remains resolute: they will persist as long as individuals are detained under these deplorable conditions. Sunday’s vigil is scheduled to take place across from the entrance to Alligator Alcatraz on Route 41, 54585 Tamiami Trail East, Ochopee, FL 34141, signaling a steadfast commitment to human rights and dignity for all.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.