What detainees say about legal rights inside “Alligator Alcatraz”

Key Takeaways:

• A federal judge is reviewing allegations of legal-rights violations at a Florida detention center.
• The facility, situated in the Everglades, is intended to be temporary.
• Detainees claim they have been denied essential legal protections.
• The center’s stark nickname, “Alligator Alcatraz,” underscores its reputation.
• CBS News journalist Camilo Montoya-Galvez first reported the developments.

A Judge Weighs the Claims
A federal judge is now examining whether immigrants held at a temporary detention center in the Florida Everglades have been denied their “legal rights,” an inquiry that could reshape how the facility operates and how detainees are treated.

Inside the Everglades Facility
The center—known colloquially as “Alligator Alcatraz”—sits in one of the most remote stretches of South Florida. Although intended as a stop-gap solution for processing immigrants, it has quickly become a focal point in the national debate over detention conditions.

Allegations from Within
Detainees have told CBS News they lack the legal avenues they are entitled to under U.S. law, a claim now before the court. The precise nature of the alleged shortcomings has not been detailed publicly, but advocates argue that the mere question warrants urgent judicial attention.

The Court’s Focus
At the heart of the case is whether the facility meets baseline standards for due process. The federal judge’s review will determine if current practices hold up against constitutional guarantees—an assessment that could prompt policy changes far beyond the Everglades.

What Happens Next
For now, the judge has made no ruling. As proceedings continue, CBS News correspondent Camilo Montoya-Galvez is tracking each development, ensuring that the voices inside “Alligator Alcatraz” reach a wider public—and, ultimately, the court of law.