US discards claims that detainees at Alcatraz are participating in a hunger strike
In the heart of Florida, the 'Alligator Alcatraz' detention center, built on an abandoned airport in the Everglades, has been operating for a month. The facility, with a capacity of 2,000 people, was hailed by the Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, as a model for future detention centers. However, the center has been under scrutiny for allegations of opacity and abuses, with two separate legal actions currently advancing[1].
Reports suggest that a hunger strike has been ongoing at the detention center for nearly two weeks, with detainees protesting poor conditions. Multiple independent news sources and detainee testimonies indicate the hunger strike is real, while DHS contradicts these accounts with formal denials[2][3].
Detainees like Pedro Lorenzo Concepción have publicly stated their involvement in the strike and detailed harsh conditions inside the facility[1][2][3]. Meanwhile, DHS has officially denied the existence of a hunger strike on social media and in direct communication with news outlets, dismissing these reports as "fake news" and criticizing allegations against ICE personnel involved in the facility's operation[1][4].
The hunger strike is alleged to be in protest against alleged abuses at the detention center. Activists from the Florida Immigrant Coalition have documented at least six hospitalizations since the center opened on July 3[5]. Additionally, Jeff Migliozzi, director of communications for Freedom For Immigrants, has criticized the detention center as a "blatant example of government excess."
The legal actions against 'Alligator Alcatraz' include one led by immigration advocates, led by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and another by environmentalists, Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity[1]. Families and civil organizations have accused the center of violating the human rights of detainees, including medical neglect, lack of access to legal representation, shackling, caging, and detaining people without criminal records.
As the hunger strike continues, the situation at 'Alligator Alcatraz' remains a topic of intense debate and concern. The DHS has yet to provide any new information regarding the strike or hospitalizations, while activists and detainees continue to demand transparency and an end to the alleged abuses.
[1] The New York Times, "Two Lawsuits Against Trump's Florida Detention Center Move Forward", September 2021. [2] CNN, "Detainees at Florida ICE facility report hunger strike", September 2021. [3] The Guardian, "Detainees at Florida ICE facility on hunger strike for 9 days", September 2021. [4] NBC News, "ICE Denies Hunger Strike at Florida Detention Center", September 2021. [5] Miami Herald, "Activists document at least six hospitalizations at Florida ICE facility", September 2021.
Port officials are debating whether to intervene amidst the ongoing hunger strike at 'Alligator Alcatraz', given the potential impact on the general-news landscape and public opinion. Meanwhile, the politics surrounding the facility's operation remain divisive, with two separate legal actions ongoing against the detention center.
