Reference News Network, July 13 report - According to EFE News Agency, July 10 report, dozens of immigrants detained in the newly opened "Crocus Island" detention center in the heart of the Everglades in Florida have recently complained about inhumane conditions in temporary tents: stifling heat and humidity, lack of food and water, and spoiled food.

Testimonies from witnesses, detainees, their families, and lawyers contradict the U.S. authorities' statement that the location "meets all requirements."

Vladimir Miranda, a Cuban immigrant with a U.S. temporary residence permit, was arrested at his workplace in Orlando. His girlfriend Evelyn Ortiz told the media that Miranda "could not take a shower, could not use the toilet properly, and could not contact his lawyer."

According to Ortiz, when the generator failed, the detention center would lose power, water, telephone service, and air conditioning, with temperatures reaching about 40 degrees Celsius and humidity up to 90%.

A wife of a detained Guatemalan immigrant accused her husband of "not being able to contact his lawyer, being surrounded by mosquitoes, and having insufficient food. When we spoke, he just kept saying it was terrible."

The lawyers of the detained individuals described the treatment of the immigrants as "like lab rats." They accused the facility of spoiled food, overflowing toilets, rampant mosquitoes, and various violations of basic rights.

Other detainees said they were given only "one sandwich" a day, without hygiene items such as toothbrushes or soap, and had extremely limited access to medical care.

Lawyer Philip Arroyo said his clients were held in isolation for days, could not contact their lawyers, had spoiled food, and lacked even the most basic sanitary conditions.

"This is a violation of civil rights. My client has a legal status, yet he was unjustly detained here," he accused, referring to the arrested immigrant.

The detention center is located at an old airport 80 kilometers away from Miami, built in just two weeks on a wetland where crocodiles and pythons are present.

Florida's Attorney General James E. "Jim" Justice called the site "a temporary and efficient solution."

Thomas Kennedy, an activist from the Florida Immigration Alliance, accompanied some state legislators to the facility on July 3 but was not allowed to enter. He said, "There were dense mosquitoes. We were bitten by sand fleas. It's an uninhabitable place, built in a swamp and located in a high-risk hurricane area."

In contrast, Stephanie Hartman, a spokesperson for the Florida Emergency Management Department, stated in a statement that these accusations were "completely false" and that the center "is in good condition and meets all requirements." (Translated by Han Chao)

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7526465582502330919/

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