Pedro Lorenzo Concepción, a Cuban migrant detained since July 9 at the immigrant detention center known as Alligator Alcatraz in Florida, is now on his ninth day of hunger strike.
Concepción himself gave statements to journalist Carla Gloria Colomé for the Spanish newspaper El País, in which he explained the reasons for his protest and the detention conditions he faces in the facility managed by the state of Florida.
Detention and protest
Pedro Lorenzo Concepción arrived in the United States in 2014. He was first prosecuted for offenses related to marijuana possession, and later for participating in a credit card fraud ring.
ICE attempted to deport him twice, but Cuba refused to accept him. He was detained again after a routine appearance before ICE on July 8th.
Two weeks after entering Alligator, on the 22nd, the Cuban migrant began a hunger strike as a form of protest.
“I can already feel some weakness and a lot of acidity, you know. Today marks eight days that I haven't eaten anything,” he said via phone.
“I felt that my life no longer belongs to me. So it’s up to them to decide whether I live or die, because I have no purpose in going back out onto the streets and continuing to live in this uncertainty, wondering if they will pick me up next year and lock me away for another ninety days,” she added.
Detention conditions
Concepción reported the precarious conditions at the detention center.
“This is running like a prison of much greater severity. The first thing they do is tie you to the floor, and there they keep you for about 12, quite a few hours,” he explained.
He also pointed out the lack of privacy and the degradation of the environment: “They serve us breakfast, lunch, and dinner cold. They take us out to shower with the doors open. There is no privacy. The toilets for basic needs in the cells have no doors, nothing at all.”
The conditions of confinement include a lack of time references (there are no clocks or televisions), constant illumination at night, and limited medical care.
Concepción detailed that, because he is starting to feel weak, he has already suffered two falls inside the facility. According to him, his cellmates help him get up and walk.
After one of the falls, he was taken to the hospital, where he also lost his balance. According to his testimony, he refused to receive medical or nutritional assistance and made a written record of it.
"I don't want food, I refuse any treatment. I didn't even ask to be taken to the hospital, because I am fighting for my family and for all Cubans, and I must be where my people are, in prison, enduring the same hardships they are facing," asserted the written report from El País.
His wife, Daimarys Hernández, confirmed to the mentioned newspaper that she learned about her husband's transfer to the hospital through the partner of another detainee.
Later, he tried to locate him by calling several hospitals without success, and finally learned that Pedro was at the Kendall Hospital for three days. There, he also refused to eat or drink.
The couple, residents in the United States for over a decade, has two children. Hernández has expressed fear for her husband's health and concern about the possibility of a deportation that would separate the family.
Claim to the immigration system
Pedro Lorenzo Concepción expresses that his protest goes beyond his individual case and extends to what he considers an unjust application of immigration laws.
“They are not measuring the consequences of taking away a person's freedom. And that is not right. That is not good,” he stated.
The detainee reiterated the uncertainty that migrants face when subjected to prolonged detention orders:
"I don’t see the point in going out on the street and continuing to live in this uncertainty of whether I’ll be picked up next year. They are playing with people's lives."
In his final statements, he reiterated that the outcome of his story is in the hands of the authorities: “It is up to them to decide whether I live or die.”
Almost 500 deportations from Alligator Alcatraz
The United States has deported nearly 500 migrants from the Alligator Alcatraz detention center. This was confirmed on Tuesday by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who highlighted the new strategic role of the facility, located at an old abandoned airport in the Everglades.
“They have deported more than 100 (directly) from there, and they have also flown in 300 or 400 more who have already been deported or are waiting for their deportation from other places in the United States. So it's like a hub,” explained DeSantis during the Florida Sheriffs Association summer conference.
The center, operated in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), allows for the direct deportation of individuals detained in Florida, as well as their transfer to other states for reorganization and boarding on final flights.
"If they are from six or seven different countries, they are moved to other states, like Louisiana, where they are segregated based on their country to place them on other flights.", the governor detailed.
The facility, inaugurated by President Donald Trump on July 3rd, was converted into an immigration center by the state government after being unused for years.
Today, with a capacity for 2,000 people—which will be expanded to 4,000—it operates as another cog in the border control apparatus in the United States.
Lawsuits and complaints regarding inhumane conditions
The migration operation is not without controversy.
Two federal judges have requested details from the federal and state governments regarding the management of the center, in the context of two active lawsuits: one filed by advocates for migrant rights and the other by environmental organizations.
Both complaints agree that the authorities have not clarified who is ultimately responsible for Alligator Alcatraz, which would allow -they argue- to evade legal obligations regarding environmental and human rights issues.
Meanwhile, the center has been the scene of protests. Dozens of activists and family members of detained migrants demonstrated last week in front of its facilities, calling it a "concentration camp" and a "dog cage."
Since its opening, civil organizations have documented at least 1,000 arrests, with six people hospitalized for various reasons.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Hunger Strike at Alligator Alcatraz
Why is Pedro Lorenzo Concepción on a hunger strike?
Pedro Lorenzo Concepción is on a hunger strike to protest against what he considers to be unfair treatment by the U.S. immigration system and the inhumane conditions at the Alligator Alcatraz detention center. According to his statements, he is fighting for his family and for all Cubans facing similar situations.
What are the detention conditions in Alligator Alcatraz?
The detention conditions at Alligator Alcatraz have been described as inhumane and degrading. Detainees face a lack of privacy, cold food, constant lighting, inadequate medical attention, and overcrowding in cages without privacy. These conditions have been condemned by human rights organizations and activists.
What role does Alligator Alcatraz play in the United States deportation system?
Alligator Alcatraz serves as a strategic center for the detention and deportation of migrants in the United States. The center allows for the direct deportation of individuals detained in Florida and their transfer to other states for boarding onto final flights. Since its opening, it has faced criticism for its management and conditions.
What complaints have arisen regarding Alligator Alcatraz?
Alligator Alcatraz has been the subject of numerous complaints regarding unsanitary and inhumane conditions. Civil organizations and human rights advocates have reported overcrowding, extreme heat, lack of drinking water, and spoiled food. There have also been documented cases of detainees hospitalized due to these conditions.
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