A former employee of the detention center known as Alligator Alcatraz, in the Florida Everglades, described the place as “a giant dog kennel” and denounced the “inhumane” conditions in the treatment of the detainees.
"It is inhuman the way they keep their residents," said Lindsey, who worked at the facility for a week before being fired after contracting COVID.
"They have no sunlight. There is no clock. They don't even know what time of day it is. They have no access to showers. They shower every two or four days," he recounted.
"I thought it would get better. But it just never did."
Lindsey entered the center on July 6, according to documents she shared with Telemundo 51 and NBC6.
She was hired by GardaWorld Federal Services, a security company that manages the site under contract with the state of Florida.
In theory, his job as a "corrections officer" involved shifts of five days with two days off and a pay rate of 26 dollars per hour, according to a post on LinkedIn. But from the start, he knew something wasn't right.
“When I arrived, it was overwhelming”, he/she stated.
"I thought it would get better. But it simply never did."
His accommodation consisted of a shared trailer. “We had to use portable toilets. We didn't have hot water half the time. Our toilets were clogged,” he detailed.
However, the conditions that affected her the most were not her own, but those of the hundreds of immigrants detained inside the center.
Hundreds in cages without light or hygiene
“Everything there looks like an oversized dog kennel”, Lindsey repeated.
Each of the shops where the detainees are held, she explained, has eight large cages, and each cage accommodates between 35 and 38 people.
That is to say, around 300 people per store, many of whom have no criminal records. "Not everyone there is a criminal," Lindsey warned.
"The bathrooms are clogged because there are so many people using them," he/she added.
He also said that on rainy days, water enters the shops directly, and that the constant humidity, overcrowding, and mosquitoes are part of daily life.
“The conditions are miserable”, he emphasized.
"These people are still human. They were taken out of their livelihood. They are scared. They don't speak our language," he added.
Dismissal, accusations, and lack of payment
Shortly after falling ill with COVID, Lindsey was fired. She was accused of "altering medical documents submitted to the company," something she firmly denies. "I was fired. And yes, I am angry. But more than anything, they are in the wrong," she stated.
He also reported that he never received payment for his work. GardaWorld, when contacted by the media, declined to comment on his case and referred the questions to the state authorities.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management, responsible for the site, also evaded responding and has previously denied allegations of inadequate conditions.
72% without a criminal record
Lindsey's statements align with the concerns expressed by activists, family members, and other former employees. A recent report from Human Rights Watch concluded that nearly 72% of those detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have no criminal record.
The website of the Florida Department of Financial Services reveals that GardaWorld Federal Services received a contract of nearly 38 million dollars to provide staff for the center. The contract was executed on August 2.
Filed under:
