Two former guards from the controversial immigration detention center known as "Alligator Alcatraz" are facing criminal charges for the alleged assault on Rigoberto Rodríguez Arce, a 42-year-old Cuban who was held at that facility in the Everglades, Florida.
According to court records from Collier County cited by Univision, Stephen Jordan Trejos and Andre Junior Seenaraine have been charged with battery, a first-degree misdemeanor in Florida, for an incident that occurred on January 25. Both pleaded not guilty.
Rodríguez Arce had been detained by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on December 9, 2025.
The events took place during a protest by detainees who were banging their handcuffs against metal benches to demand food and water, after going hours without receiving either, according to the cited information.
Frank Rivera, another migrant who witnessed the incident, stated that Trejos lifted Rodríguez Arce and threw him to the ground before hitting him. Later, in another area of the facility, Seenaraine reportedly hit the Cuban in the face.
After the incident, Rodríguez Arce was transferred to Camp East Montana, a detention center near El Paso, Texas.
Her lawyer, Yaritssa Plasencia, described the conditions in which she received her client: "She was wearing a uniform stained with blood, in addition to having a bandaged hand and a bruised eye."
Trejos' defense, however, presents a different version and has requested that the case be dismissed. His lawyers argue that the security cameras show the then-guard using a control maneuver after Rodríguez Arce allegedly spat at him.
The case was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). A judge in Collier County authorized the arrest warrants in late June, and Seenaraine was apprehended in August. The two accused were released after posting a bail of $1,000 each.
The accusations add to other complaints from Cuban immigrants who were detained in "Alligator Alcatraz." In April, Raiko López Morffi reported being beaten by eight guards following a protest over the difficulties in accessing phone calls. According to his testimony, he subsequently spent nine days in isolation without receiving proper medical care.
«Alligator Alcatraz», officially known as the South Florida Reception Center, began operations in July 2025 at the former Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in the Everglades, as part of the migration strategy promoted by Florida in collaboration with the federal government.
The controversial center closed permanently in June 2026, less than a year after its opening. The last detainees were transferred to other facilities or deported, and the state subsequently ordered the total demobilization of the premises. According to figures provided at that time by Governor Ron DeSantis, approximately 22,000 people passed through the center during its operation.
The installation was surrounded by controversy due to its high cost and the allegations regarding the conditions of the detainees. Amnesty International documented conditions that it described as "inhumane," including overcrowding, issues with access to drinking water and medical care, as well as punitive practices against those incarcerated.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has repeatedly rejected allegations regarding detention conditions, asserting that individuals in immigration custody receive adequate food and medical care.
The criminal proceedings against Trejos and Seenaraine remain open in Collier County.
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