Detainees at ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Embark on Hunger Strike
The mother of a captive at an immigration incarceration unit unofficially referred to as ‘Alligator Alcatraz’, has revealed that some inmates, including her son, have launched a hunger strike. This development follows a protest staged by a number of non-profit groups in front of the establishment on Tuesday, criticizing the reprehensible conditions at the facility. Several detainees are reportedly refusing both food and water as a show of discord. The concerned mother stated, ‘They are no felons, not even an offender should be subjected to such treatment. This place isn’t a prison.’
Her son, Michael, a Cuban national, was taken into custody due to a parole breach tied to unsettled traffic infractions. His mother shed light on the incident and claimed he had an expired driver’s license. Michael has been detained in the facility since July 5, a mere four days post the opening of the detention center.
In her despair, she said, ‘They are slowly dying from starvation and cold, being subjected to physical abuse. They are not provided with the basics, let alone medication.’ According to a class action lawsuit filed by Michael and at least one other detainee, they would prefer to be deported back to Cuba rather than spend another day in Alligator Alcatraz.
In the lawsuit, several parties have been named as defendants. They include the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Governor DeSantis, the Florida Division of Emergency Management, among other federal agencies and officials. The lawsuit alleges that the inmates within the facility are restricted to ‘one meal a day’ and are raced against the clock to finish their meals.
The lawsuit further contends that the detainees are barred from daily showers and are kept caged ‘around the clock.’ Along with these harsh conditions subjected to the detainees, the lawsuit mentions physical attacks and excessive force employed by the detention center’s personnel.
In the tearful words of the mother, ‘They are human beings, not beasts.’ ‘They are living amidst brutes there, an incongruous place for human beings.’ The lawsuit also details an incident on July 11, when medical negligence at the facility reached egregious proportions leading to severe, excessive bleeding in Michael, necessitating emergency surgery.
Post the emergency operation, according to the same legal complaint, Michael has been subject to intense pain and infection, with pus discharging from his surgical site owing to the extreme heat and humidity at the center. The distraught mother voiced her deepest fears saying, ‘What do I fear? That they might do the same thing to him (in Cuba) as they’re doing here.’
Continuing her concerns, she adds, ‘That they might murder him, that he might vanish in Cuba since he’s seeking political asylum.’ Among other harsh allegations, the lawsuit posits that detainees are denied the ability to establish communication with their attorneys.
As per the claims made in the lawsuit, the attorneys representing Michael have made numerous attempts to schedule private attorney visits or telephonic conversations with him. However, law enforcement officers have continually thwarted their efforts, barring his legal team from making contact.
The anguished mother expresses her desperation to assist her son but feels overwhelmed by her rapidly evaporating options. ‘Escaping from that oppressive country in search of liberty, and now, all of their human rights are being breached,’ she lamented.
In her distraught voice, she conveys, ‘All of their rights are being stripped away.’ Despite these allegations, government officials have reiterated their stance, asserting that all detainees at Alligator Alcatraz are treated with fairness, provided with sufficient nourishment, water, and medical care.