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Published On: Sun, Jul 13th, 2025

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz “Alligator Alcatraz” Inspection: Detainees in “Cages” With Gross Toilets, No Privacy, Bad Food

Florida Democrat Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said her inspection of the “Alligator Alcatraz” facility showed a disgusting toilet and shower situation, no privacy, and bad food for the detainees, while the guards were snacking on “roast chicken and big sausages.” She cites the same concerns expressed during the first Trump administration about the toilet/sink combination units in the cells (in use continuously since the Obama administration), which she described as: “They get their drinking water and brush their teeth where they poop.” “The portions available for employees: large pieces of roast chicken, large sausages,” she said. “And the detainees’ lunches? A small gray turkey and cheese sandwich, an apple, and chips.”

REP. DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: The governor decided directly-the governor directed the Florida Division of Emergency Management to put that facility, the one they were requested to create by DHS, here. So to put it anywhere-they decided to put it in the middle of the most brutal conditions, in the middle of a swamp in the Everglades. Let’s be clear: throughout this entire tour, it was repeated over and over that the state is working hand in glove with ICE. This facility was inspected by ICE. They review their detention standards. They are using cages. These detainees are living in cages. The pictures that you’ve seen don’t do it justice. They are essentially packed into cages-wall-to-wall humans. Thirty-two detainees per cage. The only thing inside those cages are their bunk beds. And there are three tiny toilets-units that have a sink attached to them. So they essentially drink, they get their drinking water and brush their teeth where they poop-in the same unit. They bragged that they went above standards, supposedly, and gave them a three-foot privacy wall that stretches the length inside the 32-detainee cage. A three-foot privacy wall that stretches the length of the three toilets in a row. The showers provide no privacy at all. There are no curtains. It’s a big open shower unit. There are small walls in each shower, but we’re talking about 900 men who are held in this facility. It is built currently for 1,000. And they have no privacy at all when they’re showering. For meals-when we walked through the quote-unquote meal prep area, the kitchen area, for lack of a better term-the portions that were available for detainees and the portions for employees were being prepared at the same time. The portions available for employees: large pieces of roast chicken, large sausages. And the detainees’ lunches? A small gray turkey and cheese sandwich, an apple, and chips. And that’s it. We’re talking about fully grown men being fed very small portions.

Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Jared Moskowitz and Maxwell Frost were among the Democrats from Florida on Saturday who toured Alligator Alcatraz:
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