Mexico Seeking To Repatriate Over a Dozen Nationals From 'Alligator Alcatraz': 'It's Really Bad'

1:04

The Mexican government announced it's seeking the repatriation of over a dozen nationals currently being held in the Florida detention center known as "Alligator Alcatraz," a facility mired by allegations of mistreatment and harsh conditions.

President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed the initiative during a passage of her daily press conference. "All arrangements are being made to ensure they are repatriated immediately," she said.

Martin Gonzalez, a Mexican national, told local radio station W that his sons Carlos and Alejandro were being held in the facility. "It's really bad," Gonzalez said, noting that detainees are in areas where "not even sunlight gets in." "The lights are on 24-7, so they don't even know if it's day or night."

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin confirmed the two men were being held after being detained during a traffic stop earlier in July. She detailed that Carlos was working in the country unlawfully and that Alejandro had overstayed his visa.

Democrats have repeatedly criticized the building of the facility and the conditions in which detainees are being held. Last week a group of lawmakers introduced legislation aimed at shutting it down.

The bill is called the "No Cages in the Everglades Act" and is led by Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz. It seeks to prevent DHS and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from operating or funding the facility, as well as any other "immigration detention facility located within or adjacent to the Everglades ecosystem."

"Trump and Ron DeSantis have exploited legal ambiguity around this Everglades internment camp to avoid any scrutiny of abuses there," the lawmaker said in a statement.

"Our bill would shut down this atrocity, strengthen oversight of detention facilities nationwide, and mandate public reporting on costs, conditions, and the treatment of detainees, as well as report on any harms to the environment and nearby tribal lands," it adds.

The Miami Herald, however, noted that the bill is unlikely to be successful, considering Republicans control the Lower House.

Democratic lawmakers, toured the facility in mid-July. Built in just over a week on a remote airstrip in the Everglades, is designed to hold up to 3,000 detainees as part of a broader push by state and federal officials to expand immigration enforcement.

"There are really disturbing, vile conditions and this place needs to be shut the hell down," said Rep. Wasserman Schultz. She was quoted by CNN saying "they are essentially packed into cages, wall-to-wall humans, 32 detainees per cage."