DHS Watchdog Finds Detainees Held in Outdoor Cages at Facility

The DHS inspector general confirmed that detainees at the now-shuttered Alligator Alcatraz facility in Florida were held in outdoor metal cages as small as 16 square feet. The report says the practice does not align with humane treatment standards.

• 79 detainees were held in the cages from July 17, 2025, to Jan. 18, 2026.
• 16 square feet: the size of the outdoor enclosures — less than half of ICE's 37-square-foot minimum.
• Average time in a cage was just under one hour; the maximum was about two hours.
• Housing units provided 28 square feet per detainee at maximum capacity; the national standard is 75.

Why it matters: The IG report is the first government confirmation that the cages existed, following a December Amnesty International report that described them as instruments of torture and prompted a congressional probe.

• Amnesty International described detainees — who called the enclosures 'the box' — as shackled and left for hours in heat with little water.
• ICE told investigators detainees were shackled while being escorted to cages but not while inside them.

How 14 sources split on this story

Where they split: DHS says the state of Florida, not the federal government, controlled daily operations; the IG noted ICE personnel were on site and detainees received a handbook identifying the facility as an ICE facility.

What’s next: The facility closed in June; the IG closed its recommendations without requiring action.

• Lawsuits over the facility's conditions and existence remain ongoing.
• Who bears legal accountability for conditions at the facility — Florida, ICE, or both — given the disputed authority under the 287(g) agreement?
• Will Congress pursue further action based on the IG findings, given the facility is already closed?