Florida officials are pushing back against criticism of the Alligator Alcatraz temporary detention center for illegal immigrants, a facility located in the Florida Everglades.

The state released new information this week detailing the criminal backgrounds of several detainees, while also responding to recent media reports alleging poor conditions at the site.

The Miami Herald published a report earlier in the week that cited complaints from the spouses of detainees, alleging “freezing” temperatures and a “hospitalization” incident at the facility.

The Herald piece questioned the treatment of detainees at the location, which was set up to temporarily house illegal immigrants pending deportation.

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The Department of Homeland Security responded to the claims by clarifying the facts of the hospitalization incident.

Officials confirmed that a detainee had been taken to a hospital but returned to the facility approximately an hour and a half later.

DHS has not reported any ongoing medical concerns.

The facility, known as Alligator Alcatraz, includes air conditioning and beds—features that have not always been present in similar temporary sites established under the prior administrations of Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

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Despite this, critics have focused on the facility’s remote location and environmental impact, prompting renewed political debate over federal immigration enforcement and state-level cooperation.

In response to the criticism, Florida officials released the criminal records of several individuals currently held at the facility.

The list includes individuals with convictions for serious and violent offenses across multiple states.

Among them is Lazaro Rodriguez Santana, a Cuban national convicted in Texas of sexual assault and for failing to register as a sex offender.

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Jose Fortin, a Honduran national, was convicted of second-degree murder in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

Authorities also identified Oscar “Satan” Sanchez, another Honduran national and confirmed member of the MS-13 gang.

Sanchez has faced convictions in New York for conspiracy to commit murder, assault, resisting arrest, and racketeering (RICO) offenses.

Luis Donald Corado, a national of Guatemala, was convicted of burglary, forced entry, and voyeurism in Miami.

Officials noted that Corado’s case involved peering into the window of a female resident.

Another detainee, Eddy Lopez Jemot of Cuba, has a record including convictions for murder, arson, and assault.

Florida authorities stated that Jemot was arrested in Key Largo after allegedly cutting the throat of an elderly woman and setting her residence on fire in an attempt to destroy evidence.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier addressed the controversy on X, criticizing Democrats for their opposition to the facility and its operations.

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“They’re squirming because the jig is up,” Uthmeier wrote.

“The left flooded the country with illegal aliens, counted them in the census for House seats, pushed for amnesty so they could vote—the plan came to an end under President Trump.”

“And they almost got away with it. Almost,” he added.

The Alligator Alcatraz facility remains part of Florida’s broader enforcement strategy in cooperation with federal agencies.

Under President Trump, states like Florida have expanded their roles in aiding federal immigration enforcement, particularly when it comes to the detention and removal of criminal non-citizens.

Despite the criticism, Florida officials maintain that facilities like Alligator Alcatraz are necessary to protect public safety and ensure that individuals with serious criminal histories are removed from communities.

The state continues to process deportation actions in coordination with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

As the political debate over immigration continues, Florida officials say they will continue to publish details about those housed in the facility to provide transparency and to counter claims of mistreatment.

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