A report by the US Department of Homeland Security's internal watchdog has found that immigrants held at the now-closed "Alligator Alcatraz" detention centre in Florida were kept for hours in small outdoor metal cages, a practice it described as "unprecedented" and incompatible with humane treatment standards. The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) also concluded that the facility, built rapidly in the Everglades in 2025 and toured by President Trump, breached numerous standards on hygiene, medical care, food, and health and safety. DHS has said Florida's state authorities, not federal officials, were responsible for the centre's day-to-day operations, even though the federal government funded it.

The OIG's surprise inspection in January found that between July 2025 and January 2026, 79 immigrants were held in roughly 18sq ft cages, described by officials as "calming areas", for periods ranging from minutes to nearly two hours, with at least one use as a disciplinary measure. Inspectors also reported bug-infested showers limited to three times a week, cramped living quarters, and detainees lacking access to clean drinking water or a way to wash their cups. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who established the facility by executive order, announced its closure in June 2026, saying it had only ever been intended as temporary.