“Easily disprovable lie”: The controversial Florida immigration detention center is becoming a headache for Trump admin
Florida – There is an increasing controversy about the new immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades. Migrant advocates say that there has been a hunger strike going on for almost two weeks, but federal officials strongly deny this.
The facility, which has been dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” by critics due to its remote location and harsh conditions, was inaugurated in late June by former President Donald Trump as part of his broader immigration enforcement policy. It was built to house thousands of migrants until they can be sent back to their home countries, but now the focus is on how detainees are being treated inside.
The Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC) said that several detainees have been rejecting food as a form of protest. Thomas Kennedy, a member of the group, said that there is no doubt that the hunger strike is real.
“We don’t have to assume that that’s happening because we see ambulances, because the family members are telling us, the detainees themselves have gone on record on various publications,” Kennedy told dpa.
Kennedy’s videos from last week seem to show ambulances leaving the prison, which backs up reports that some inmates have needed to go to the hospital. Kennedy also said that at least a dozen prisoners are thought to be on the hunger strike.
The reports, on the other hand, have been completely rejected by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The agency said in a post on X that the reports were “FAKE NEWS” and that detainees are getting three meals a day, as well as water and other drinks. CNN also said that DHS officials are certain that the facility is compliant with all detention standards.
FAKE NEWS.
There is NO hunger strike at Alligator Alcatraz.
These false allegations about detention facilities vilify our brave ICE law enforcement who are already facing an 830% increase in assaults against them. pic.twitter.com/YfWOl8Y31p
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) August 4, 2025
Even though the government has denied it, more people have come out to question the official story. Several major news outlets spoke to one Cuban detainee and his wife, who said that he was indeed boycotting meals as a form of protest and was eventually sent to a hospital. The detainee said that things were getting worse within the prison, such as not having enough access to clean water and legal help.
Reports of unclean and brutal conditions had also surfaced before the hunger strike allegations. CNN had already reported complaints from Democratic lawmakers about problems like malfunctioning toilets, very hot or cold temperatures, and not having enough basic needs.
Kennedy branded the DHS’s statement a “weird and easily disprovable lie,” and he pointed to first-hand testimonies from detainees and observable emergency medical reactions as proof.
“The DHS is saying that a hunger strike is not taking place, when the detainees themselves are saying, we are on hunger strike,” Kennedy added.
Read also: Ex-Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz drops a bombshell: “Obama ordered a hit on the American democracy”
The situation has fueled further outrage among immigrant rights advocates and intensified scrutiny of the federal government’s approach to immigration enforcement. As the debate continues, the calls for transparency and accountability over the circumstances at the Everglades facility are only growing louder.
