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A 59-year-old Cuban, detained deep in the Florida Everglades, begged to be deported after more than a month held in the center known as "Alligator Alcatraz," where he claims the conditions are so harsh that he has stopped eating and taking his medication. The story was revealed by CBS News Miami, which spoke with both the detainee and his wife.
This is about Alexis Rodríguez, a resident of South Florida who has lived under immigration supervision for more than two decades. His family reports that he attended a routine appointment on November 5 at the immigration office in Miramar, something he has done for 25 years, and that day he was informed he would not be returning home.
“In Miramar they told him: ‘you are going to be detained because we are going to carry out your deportation order,’” explained his wife, Magda Berge.
During the interview with CBS News, Rodríguez called from the detention center and, in Spanish, made a desperate plea: “All I ask is that I be allowed to leave this country.”
The Cuban claims that the conditions within the facility have pushed him to his limits: cold food served in minimal portions, 32 detainees sharing three bathrooms and only one shower every three days. Despite being diabetic, he said he has stopped eating and taking medication due to the conditions he faces there.
His wife claims that his health deteriorates day by day. “Obviously, we want people to hear what we are experiencing, because it’s really bad,” Berge said.
Federal records show that Rodríguez was convicted in the late 1990s for trafficking and smuggling cocaine and served two years in prison. For his family, the punishment is a thing of the past, now a quarter-century ago.
"I know he made a mistake, and he made it over 25 years ago. He has paid for that mistake," his wife said.
Reported conditions and official responses
Rodríguez's complaints align with a 61-page report from Amnesty International, which compiles testimonies from migrants detained in these facilities. The document describes inhumane conditions, such as overflowing toilets with feces, poor water quality, constant lighting during the night, insect infestations, insufficient food, and limited access to showers.
However, the state of Florida strongly rejected those accusations. “This ‘report’ is nothing more than a politically motivated attack. None of these fabrications are true,” said Molly Best, spokesperson for the Governor's Executive Office, according to CBS News.
For its part, ICE reminded that deportation does not depend on the detainee; only foreign governments can decide whether to accept a person under a removal order.
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