Former detainees testify in hearing for 'Alligator Alcatraz' lawsuit

FORT MYERS, Fla. —

Former detainees of the South Florida Detention Center, nicknamed "Alligator Alcatraz," are testifying for the first time about their experiences as part of a federal lawsuit concerning their access to legal counsel from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in Courtroom 5D at the U.S. District Courthouse for the Middle District of Florida.

This two-day hearing follows a lawsuit filed last July by the American Civil Liberties Union and Americans for Immigrant Justice regarding the conditions of the facility.

In September, a federal judge required the civil rights groups to narrow the scope of the lawsuit and focus only on claims related to the detainees' access to legal counsel, excluding arguments regarding living conditions such as temperature, hygiene, medication, and weather, which were in the first complaint. The judge also asked to revise the original complaint to reflect current and future detainees rather than former ones.

Civil rights groups say they complied with that order and filed a narrowed complaint shortly after, which they are following today.

On Thursday, Jan. 29, at 9:30 a.m., the court will hear arguments on a motion for a preliminary injunction and class certification. If granted, it would require Immigration and Customs Enforcement to provide attorney-client communication at the facility that meets constitutional standards.

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