Families and Immigrant Detainees Speak Out Against 'Alligator Alcatraz'
Families and Immigrant Detainees Speak Out Against 'Alligator Alcatraz'
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava has recently brought attention to the conditions at the detention site nicknamed 'Alligator Alcatraz'. Families and immigrant detainees have alleged 'horrible' conditions, including overcrowding, lack of access to fresh air and sunlight, and inadequate medical care. The detention site, built on county land, has raised concerns about the treatment of detainees and their access to basic human rights. As a result, Mayor Levine Cava has requested access and monitoring of the site from Florida's attorney general. This move highlights the urgent need for transparency and accountability in the treatment of immigrant detainees.
About the People Mentioned
Daniella Levine Cava
Daniella Levine Cava is the first woman elected as Mayor of Miami-Dade County, winning office in November 2020 and re-elected in August 2024. She oversees a metropolitan government serving nearly 3 million residents with more than 31,000 employees and manages an annual budget of approximately $12 billion. Her administration focuses on building a stronger, more resilient, and prosperous community through initiatives addressing public health, gun violence prevention, economic development, affordable housing, environmental preservation, and enhanced public transit[1][5][6]. Before becoming mayor, Levine Cava served as Miami-Dade County Commissioner for District 8, first elected in 2014 and re-elected in 2018. In that role, she championed economic opportunity, environmental protection, expanded police presence in underserved areas, affordable housing, and government transparency. Her public service career spans over 40 years, including work as a social worker, lawyer, and community activist advocating for vulnerable children, families, and immigrants[1][2][3][4]. Levine Cava’s early career included serving special needs children and immigrants at Legal Services of Greater Miami and representing children in foster care through the Guardian Ad Litem Program. After Hurricane Andrew in 1992, she helped develop a new intake system for child abuse cases in Florida’s Department for Children and Families. In 1996, she founded Catalyst Miami, a nonprofit supporting low- and middle-income families through education, service, and advocacy, assisting about 5,000 people annually[3][4][7]. Born in New York and partly raised in Latin America, she holds a psychology degree with honors from Yale University and graduate degrees in law and social work from Columbia University. She moved to South Florida in 1980 with her husband, Dr. Robert Cava, a Miami native. They have two children and reside in Miami-Dade[2][3].
About the Organizations Mentioned
Miami-Dade County
Miami-Dade County is a large, complex local government entity serving over 2.7 million residents, including both incorporated municipalities and a heavily urbanized unincorporated area. Established in 1957, the county operates under a two-tier government system defined by Florida law and its Home Rule Charter, with governance by an executive mayor and a Board of County Commissioners (BCC). The county delivers a broad range of public services including police, fire protection, zoning, water, sewer, and transportation, particularly in unincorporated areas where it acts as both municipal and county government[4]. In recent years, Miami-Dade County has been focused on modernizing public services, increasing government efficiency, and enhancing transparency. This is reflected in the 2025–2026 budget proposed by Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez, emphasizing reduced bureaucracy, community investment, and a self-sustaining financial model funded through service fees rather than surplus or taxes[1]. The county’s overall 2025 budget totals $12.9 billion, carefully balancing a $400 million shortfall without raising property taxes, through a combination of cost-saving measures, strategic reserve use, and department consolidations[2][3]. Key achievements include maintaining essential services like parks and transit despite budget pressures, protecting funding for charitable organizations, and avoiding fare increases on public transit by utilizing reserve funds. However, some cuts were necessary, such as eliminating lifeguards at swimming holes and closing the Office of New Americans, which supported legal immigrants pursuing citizenship[2][3]. The county has also strategically used federal relief funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to offset revenue losses during the COVID-19 pandemic, which had a severe economic impact resulting in over $3 billion in combined revenue losses from 2020 to 2023[5]. Notably, Miami-Dade’s government structure was strengthened by a 2018 constitutional amendment that made key positions—tax collector, property appraiser, supervisor of elections, and sheriff—independen
Florida's attorney general
The **Florida Attorney General** is the state’s chief legal officer, an elected position with a four-year term, responsible for protecting Floridians by enforcing state laws and representing the public interest in legal matters[1][2]. Established under the Florida Constitution and codified in state statutes, the Office of the Attorney General leads the Department of Legal Affairs and oversees statewide prosecution, antitrust enforcement, consumer protection, Medicaid fraud investigations, and civil rights actions[1][2]. The Attorney General also defends Florida in civil litigation and criminal appeals, ensuring the constitutionality of state laws. Functioning as a key member of the Florida Cabinet alongside the Chief Financial Officer and Commissioner of Agriculture, the Attorney General participates in decisions on state lands, investments, insurance, and financial regulation, and also heads agencies including Highway Safety, Law Enforcement, and Veterans Affairs[1]. The office issues formal legal opinions to government officials, enhancing policy clarity and legal compliance[1][5]. Historically, the office has played a pivotal role in combating fraud and criminal activities such as identity theft, drug trafficking, and gang violence through the Office of Statewide Prosecution[1]. One notable former Attorney General, Pam Bondi (2011–2019), transformed Florida’s approach to the opioid crisis by shutting down the state’s "pill mills," significantly reducing oxycodone abuse, and contributing to national substance abuse prevention efforts[6]. Today, the Florida Attorney General continues to champion consumer protection, antitrust law enforcement, and civil rights, while advancing technology-driven initiatives to improve legal processes and victim services. The office is a critical player in balancing law enforcement, regulatory oversight, and public advocacy in Florida’s dynamic legal and business environment, making it influential to those interested in the intersection of law, governance, and technology[1][2][7].
