Miami – A fresh report from Amnesty International has strongly criticised two major immigration detention centres in Florida. The human rights group says the treatment of people held there is cruel, inhuman, and in some cases amounts to torture. The two centres named in the report are the Everglades Detention Facility, popularly known as “Alligator Alcatraz“, and the Krome North Service Processing Center in Miami.
What the Report Says About Alligator Alcatraz
Alligator Alcatraz opened in July 2025 in the middle of the Florida Everglades. It is run by the state but holds people for federal immigration authorities. The centre can keep up to 3,000 detainees. Because it is surrounded by swamps full of alligators and is very hard to reach, people quickly started calling it Alligator Alcatraz.
Amnesty researchers visited the place in September 2025 and spoke to many detainees. They found overflowing toilets that flood sleeping areas with dirty water. Showers are very few, insects bite people day and night, lights stay on 24 hours, food is poor, and there is no privacy at all. One man told the team, “It feels like they want us to suffer on purpose.”
The worst part is a punishment method called “the box”. It is a small metal cage outside, only about two feet high. Guards chain detainees inside it with hands and feet fixed to the ground. People are left there for hours, sometimes a whole day, in the burning sun without water or food. Amnesty says this is clear torture.
Another big problem is that families and lawyers often cannot find out where a person is held. There is no proper system to track detainees at Alligator Alcatraz. This leads to what human rights groups call enforced disappearances.
Conditions at Krome Detention Center
Krome is an older centre in Miami run directly by ICE with help from a private company. It is always overcrowded. Medical care is very slow or sometimes not given at all. Several people have died there because they did not get timely treatment.
Amnesty saw one man kept alone in a cell who had a badly injured hand. He had waited more than a month to see a doctor. When he tried to show his injury through the door slot, a guard slammed the heavy metal door on his fingers.
Krome also uses solitary confinement a lot. Some people stay alone for weeks. The United Nations says keeping anyone alone for more than 15 days can amount to torture.
Rising Deaths and Bigger Picture
Since President Trump began his second term, the number of people in immigration detention across the US has jumped by nearly 70 percent. In Florida alone, it has gone up by more than 50 percent this year. At least 24 people have died in ICE custody nationwide since October 2024. Six of those deaths happened in Florida, and four were at Krome.
Amy Fischer, director of refugee and migrant rights at Amnesty International USA, said, “The conditions we documented at Alligator Alcatraz and Krome are not isolated – instead they represent a deliberate system of cruelty designed to punish people seeking to build a new life in the U.S.”
Ana Piquer, who leads Amnesty’s work for the Americas, added, “These findings confirm a deliberate system built to punish, dehumanize, and hide the suffering of people in detention. Immigration enforcement cannot operate outside the rule of law or exempt from human rights standards.”
How Florida Got Involved
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has brought in some of the strictest immigration rules in the country. The state used emergency powers to build Alligator Alcatraz quickly and spent hundreds of millions of dollars on it. Amnesty says this money could have been used for schools or hospitals but was spent on detention instead.
Reaction from Officials
Officials have not accepted the report fully. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said earlier complaints about Alligator Alcatraz were false and that the centre meets all standards. ICE said they disagree with Amnesty’s findings but did not give more details.
What Amnesty Wants
The group is asking Florida to close Alligator Alcatraz immediately and stop using state facilities for federal immigration detention. They want the US government to end mass detention, investigate every death and abuse case, provide proper medical care, allow lawyers easy access, and follow international human rights rules.
Many migrant rights organisations have welcomed the report. They say Florida is trying out very harsh policies that may spread to other states soon.
For thousands of Indians who dream of going to America or have family there, this report is a reminder of how difficult the journey can become. Many Indians also apply for asylum or cross borders because getting a legal visa is very hard.
The Amnesty report has once again started a debate about how the United States treats people who come looking for safety and a better life.
FAQs
What is Alligator Alcatraz?
It is a new detention centre built in the Florida Everglades in 2025. The state runs it for federal immigration authorities. It holds up to 3,000 people in a remote, swampy area full of alligators.
What is Krome detention centre?
Krome North Service Processing Center is in Miami. It is run by ICE with a private company and has been open for many years. People waiting for deportation or asylum decisions are kept there.
What is “the box” punishment?
A tiny outdoor metal cage where detainees are chained in a crouching position for hours in the heat without water or food. Amnesty calls it torture.
How many people have died in ICE custody recently?
At least 24 across the US since October 2024. Six deaths were in Florida, four at Krome.
Why has detention increased in Florida?
Because of strict new laws under Governor DeSantis and more deportation orders from the Trump administration.
What do officials say about the report?
DHS and ICE say the centres meet standards and some claims are false.
What does Amnesty want the government to do?
Close Alligator Alcatraz, stop mass detention, investigate abuses, improve medical care, and respect human rights.