Serving Immigrants Attorneys Expose Abuse at “Alligator Alcatraz” in Forbes Interview

In an interview with Forbes published on July 9, 2025, attorneys Magdalena Cuprys and Víctor Martínez of Cuprys & Associates denounced serious constitutional rights violations against detained immigrants at Florida’s controversial detention center known as “Alligator Alcatraz.”

What is Alligator Alcatraz?

Set up at the abandoned Dade-Collier Airport in the Everglades, near Ochopee, the center began operations on July 3, 2025, as part of a state-run initiative led by Governor DeSantis and President Trump to detain immigrants. The site’s extreme isolation and hostile environment have raised significant concern.

Cuprys and Martínez Denounce Legal Inaccessibility

Attorney Magdalena Cuprys described the case of a Honduran client arrested after a routine stop at a weigh station in Tampa. Despite holding a Florida driver’s license and having filed asylum applications, he was never processed for bond while at Alligator Alcatraz. In her own words:

“The motion has not been processed… the only information they had… was what they learned independently from the news.”

Meanwhile, Víctor Martínez spent hours at the facility trying to visit another client. After waiting all day, he was simply told to come back the next day — without any clear instructions.

Both attorneys agree: there is no protocol for in-person legal visits, no access to private calls, confidential video meetings, or even basic information about judicial jurisdiction. According to them, this amounts to a direct violation of the constitutional right to legal counsel.

Context: Conditions and Criticism of the Facility

Detainees report:

• No running water
• No showers for days
• Food with worms
• Overcrowded cells
• Lack of medical care

The facility is located in an area of extreme heat, high humidity, and environmental risk, failing to meet basic detention standards, according to experts.

Legal organizations and Democratic lawmakers have filed lawsuits and requested inspections, but state officials have blocked access to the facility.

What’s Next?

• Pending Lawsuits: At least two lawsuits are underway — one on environmental violations, another on constitutional violations — which could halt operations if courts determine severe breaches.
• Media and Political Pressure: Voices like Cuprys, Martínez, and other attorneys, alongside investigations by AP, Forbes, NBC, and more, continue to spotlight the lack of legal access, detainee health, and government transparency.

The Forbes interview with Cuprys and Martínez underscores a disturbing issue: the systematic restriction of legal access at Alligator Alcatraz. The inability to contact attorneys, submit bond requests, or even know one’s court status not only violates basic rights — it calls into question the entire legal and humanitarian legitimacy of the facility. In the coming days, legal battles and public pressure may decide its immediate future.