Republican Lawmaker Challenges Democrats' Characterization Of 'alligator Alcatraz' After Touring Facility

Florida Rep. Maria Salazar said nan Sunshine State's caller "Alligator Alcatraz" detention halfway meets nan "highest of standards" while moving to debunk Democrats' claims that its conditions are "cruel."

The Republican lawmaker, who represents Florida's 27th legislature district, toured nan installation pinch different legislators complete nan play wherever she sewage a firsthand look astatine nan conditions. 

"I thought that it was a correction from nan authorities not allowing america to talk them," she told "Fox & Friends" co-host Lawrence Jones connected Tuesday.

FLORIDA OFFICIALS REVEAL CRIMINAL BACKGROUNDS OF MIGRANTS HELD AT 'ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ'

Toilets and beds are seen wrong a migrant detention center, dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz," located astatine nan tract of nan Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport successful Ochopee, Florida connected July 1, 2025. (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

"I was capable to outcry successful Spanish. There were astir 40 of them successful shackles, and I tried to talk pinch them and inquire them… 'How are they treating you?' One of them said, ‘Pretty good.’ Another 1 said, ‘Not truthful bad,’ but I really wanted to engage. They did not fto me."

Salazar was capable to spell wrong 1 of nan cages and beryllium connected 1 of nan beds provided for inmates.

Though she acknowledged that "no 1 likes to beryllium inside" cages, she described nan ones disposable arsenic "clean" and nan beds arsenic "soft." 

DEM LAWMAKERS TO INSPECT 'ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ' DETENTION CENTER, CITING SAFETY CONCERNS

U.S. Rep. Maria Salazar (R-FL) speaks during a roundtable chat connected nan "Take It Down Act" successful nan Mike Mansfield Room astatine nan U.S. Capitol connected March 03, 2025 successful Washington, DC.  (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)

"They had 3 metallic toilets pinch a small wall to screen group erstwhile they're doing their business. They had 2 telephones wherever they tin telephone their attorneys aliases loved ones," she recalled.

"Then they took america to different recreational area, besides caged in… pinch immoderate writer wherever they could tally aliases do immoderate exercise…. It meets nan highest standards for immoderate federal facility that we've done," she added.

Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz slammed nan detention halfway arsenic an "internment camp" aft visiting connected Saturday, saying nan conditions witnessed wrong nan building were "appalling."

Rep. Darren Soto, D-Fla., called nan halfway a "cruel governmental stunt" and a "spectacle of governmental theater."