Federal filings reveal rules at Alligator Alcatraz amid lawsuits

Federal court filings and a handbook provided to detainees at the Florida Everglades immigration facility known as Alligator Alcatraz reveal strict internal rules, disputed detainee classifications and ongoing legal fights over access to lawyers and the center's legality. The revelations surfaced this week as civil rights groups asked a federal judge in Fort Myers for an injunction to stop the facility from holding people, and as U.S. Justice Department attorneys said detainees likely include individuals who have never been placed in removal proceedings.

The handbook, submitted by the state in litigation over attorney access, describes intake procedures that use colorcoded uniforms and wristbands and segregate detainees by criminal history and flight risk. It requires an orientation video on arrival, allows only limited personal items such as prayer books and wedding rings, and provides soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, a toothbrush, sheets, a blanket, a mattress and a towel. It sets rules about dress and conduct, including that uniform shirts not be removed in housing or recreational areas and that detainees may not place their hands in their waistbands. During head counts...