Cuban reggaeton artist Leamsy La Figura, known off-stage as Leamsy Isquierdo, is making headlines from behind the fences of Florida’s controversial new immigration detention center dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz.”
The singer, arrested last week in Miami-Dade on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and battery, was transferred from the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center to the newly constructed facility deep in the Everglades. Built in just days on a remote airfield 50 miles from Miami, the site has already become a flashpoint for human rights concerns.
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In a chilling phone call from inside the compound, La Figura described unbearable conditions. “There’s over 400 people here. There’s no water to take a bath, and it’s been four days,” he said. “They bring food once a day, and it had maggots. The lights never go off. And the mosquitoes? They’re as big as elephants.”
And he’s not the only one speaking out. Fellow detainees shared similar accounts—calling the facility a place of “torture.” One described it as “like rats in an experiment.” Others cited the denial of religious freedom, lack of access to medical care, and worsening mental health.
Beyond the harsh living conditions, the facility is also drawing criticism for its environmental impact on protected Everglades land, a lack of oversight, and the legality of its rapid development.
As the stories from inside Alligator Alcatraz continue to emerge, the silence from Florida officials grows louder—and the pressure for answers is mounting.
