Topics: Donald Trump, Politics, US News, News, Florida
Detainees at a new immigration detention center dubbed 'Alligator Alcatraz' have spoken about the alleged conditions inside, as they admit to feeling like 'rats in an experiment'.
The South Florida immigration detention facility opened earlier this month, but so far, a number of detainees have claimed to be experiencing very poor conditions.
The center - which was built in just eight days - was previously a near-abandoned airport, having earned its moniker due to the local reptile population.
But problems are already emerging.
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Cuban reggaeton artist Leamsy La Figura has alleged that he and other detainees have been subjected to 'maggots in the food', lack of water and have also had their religious rights denied.
The singer was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and battery and had been held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center before transferring to Alligator Alcatraz.
"I am Leamsy La Figura. We've been here at Alcatraz since Friday. There's over 400 people here.
"There's no water to take a bath, it's been four days since I've taken a bath," he said from a phone call inside the jail, as per CBS News Miami.
"They only brought a meal once a day and it had maggots. They never take off the lights for 24 hours. The mosquitoes are as big as elephants."
Another man said: "They're not respecting our human rights.
"We're human beings; we're not dogs. We're like rats in an experiment.
"I don't know their motive for doing this, if it's a form of torture. A lot of us have our residency documents and we don't understand why we're here."
Meanwhile, another detainee, from Colombia, said he was close to 'losing his mind' and added that his Bible had been confiscated.
"I'm on the edge of losing my mind. I've gone three days without taking my medicine," he said.
"It's impossible to sleep with this white light that's on all day."
Stephanie Hartman, Deputy Director of Communications at the Florida Division of Emergency Management, told UNILAD: "The reporting on the conditions in the facility is completely false. The facility meets all required standards and is in good working order."
The first detainees arrived at the center on July 3, with FDEM writing on Twitter: "The first group has arrived at Alligator Alcatraz.
"Stood up in record time under @GovRonDeSanti’ leadership & in coordination with @DHSgov & @ICEgov. Florida is proud to help facilitate @realDonaldTrump's mission to enforce immigration law."
Trump was given a tour of the center - designed to accommodate 3,000 people - just a few days earlier.
Safety concerns around the site have been quick to emerge after footage posted on social media showed water covering the ground near electricity cables.
The flooding was believed to be caused by a storm, but there are fears over what could happen during a more severe weather event.
FDEM spokesperson Stephanie Hartman wrote that 'vendors had tightened any seams at the base of the structures that allowed water to come in during the storm'.
Meanwhile, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Sky News: "Alligator Alcatraz is a state-of-the-art facility that will play a critical role in fulfilling the president's promise to get the worst criminal illegal aliens out of America as fast as possible.
"President Trump is grateful to partner with [Homeland] Secretary [Kristi] Noem and Ron DeSantis on this important project."
