OCHOPEE, Fla. (WSVN) — A contingent of Democratic state lawmakers were denied entry to the newly opened detention center deep in the Florida Everglades after the first group of immigration detainees were brought to the controversial compound.
Cellphone video captured state representatives and senators after they were informed they were not allowed to set foot in the facility, dubbed “Alligator Alley,” Thursday afternoon.
“We’re being denied entry, and I know that you would argue that it’s not denial, but it is, ’cause we’re not able to get in. It’s actually against the law,” Florida State Rep. Michele Rayner told a supervisor near the entrance.
“You don’t need to be an attorney to read the plain language of Florida statute,” said Florida State Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith as he spoke to someone in the phone.
The lawmakers later held a news conference.
“We have a number of questions,” said Jones.
“Not being transparent, as my colleague said,” said Florida State Sen. Shevrin Jones.
“A makeshift immigrant detainment camp in the middle of the Everglades swamp,” said Smith.
Jones, Smith, Rayner and Florida State Reps. Anna Eskamani and Angie Nixon tried to conduct an officials visit to inspect the property, citing Florida Statutes 944.23 and 951.225.
“We have the statutory authority under Florida law, not only to visit our state prisons without providing notice, but also to visit our municipal detention facilities as well,” said Jones.
But when they tried to gain entry to “Alligator Alcatraz,” they were turned away.
“We don’t have to arrange it. We actually get to pop up here,” said Rayner.
“Right now, I was told that I could give you a phone number, or I could call somebody else,” said an official at the facility.
“So, unfortunately, that’s not the law,” said Rayner.
“I am the on-duty supervisor for law enforcement,” the supervisor told the visiting lawmakers. “We’re asking the media to move off the property, and then I can address you, our elected officials.”
“But we want to be addressed with the media as witnesses,” said Rayner. “So, we’re denied access.”
“Yes, ma’am, due to safety concerns and ongoing inmate operations, ” said the supervisor.
“So, they’re unsafe conditions, and we can’t go in because there are safety concerns for us lawmakers, but there’s no regard for those detainees who are here?” said Smith.
“I don’t believe that’s what I said, sir. What I was told to come down here and discuss with you is, right now we’ve begun operations,” said the supervisor. “We would like to schedule a time next week.”
“No, no, no, there’s no time. There’s a constitution” said a man accompanying the lawmakers.
The supervisor confirmed inmates arrived at the facility Wednesday night, but said he did not have an exact number available at this time.
“We have safety concerns as well. We share those concerns with those who are running this facility,” said Jones. “It’s why we’re here as lawmakers to conduct oversight.”
The visit comes two days after President Donald Trump was allowed into the facility and given a tour.
Vifeo showing some flooding inside the facility came out shortly after.
“The water is rising. it’s seeping through tents,” said Nixon.
During the news conference, lawmakers voiced concerns over how this facility was made and who’s being brought there.
“This did not go through the test of sitting through committee, nor did it go through the test of being debated in the chambers, and so, because of that, that’s why we’re here,” said Jones.
“They’re detaining immigrants who had legal status five minutes ago, five minutes ago before the Trump administration revoked temporary protected status from the Haitian community, from the Cuban community, from the Venezuelan community, from many more,” said Smith.
Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security appears to be distancing itself from the detention center. Officials said no federal money has been authorized or directed to “Alligator Alcatraz,” which has an estimated $450 million annual cost.
Speaking at the news conference, Nixon and Eskamani did not mince words about what they think about this expense and about being refused entry into the detention center.
“Four hundred and fifty million taxpayer dollars can be going here to fund torture,” she said.
“It’s so essential, when you have hundreds of millions of public dollars being spent on a political stunt, that we have the ability to see with our own eyes what is happening,” said Eskamani.
When asked whether these Democratic state lawmakers would go to court over this, Eskamani told 7News that it is a possibility.
Throughout the day Thursday, dozens of utility trucks and workers drove in and out of the area. Just after 6 p.m., 7News cameras captured crews installing fencing along the road leading to the facility. There was no sign of additional detainees.