A migrant detainee's family is calling out the "horrible" conditions at the so-called "Alligator Alcatraz" facility, including a lack of water, freezing cold tents, and the prevalence of mosquitoes.
Eveling Ortiz shared her experiences, talking about her boyfriend, Vladimir Miranda, who crossed the southern border. She noted that, like many Cuban migrants, he was given the I-220A form, which documents that a migrant has been released into the United States by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Horrible Conditions in Migrant Detention Facility
She added that her boyfriend had the final hearing two weeks ago, but noted that Miranda was detained by immigration officials a few days later while he was at work in Orlando. The 32-year-old Cuban was later transferred to the Everglades facility.
Ortiz noted that the conditions in that particular facility were "horrible," adding that on top of not having water, detainees were not able to use the bathroom properly. She added that the people kept in the detention facility did not have access to immigration attorneys, according to NBC Miami.
It was revealed that detainees' legal representation were not allowed to enter the facility, with Ortiz arguing that some of the people inside were already getting sick. She said that someone was taken to the hospital because his face became swollen due to mosquitoes in the area.
Now, the Florida Immigration Coalition is calling on Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava to file a lawsuit against the state. They are hoping that the efforts could result in the appalling detention center getting shut down.
Miranda also said that the generators at the detention facility were not enough to supply sufficient power to the entire area, causing power outages. His allegations are similar to other detainees' accounts, NBC News reported.
Crackdown on Illegal Immigration
One of these, Leamsy Izquierdo, who is a self-described Cuban urban artist, has been at the Everglades facility since Friday. He added that they did not have water to take a bath, noting that he had not showered for four days.
There was also a Venezuelan man being kept in the facility, whose wife asked, "Why would we treat a human like that?" She said migrants come to the United States for a better life, but are not given a chance to help themselves.
The Everglades facility was pitched as a new model for holding migrants detained amid United States President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration. Florida eventually plans to house more than 3,000 detainees at the controversial site, and state officials called the recent allegations "untrue," as per the Miami Herald.
