Sky York Journal
SKY YORK JOURNAL News – Citing conditions and legal issues at Governor Ron DeSantis’ “Alligator Alcatraz” facility in the Everglades, a Mexican diplomat has issued a stark warning to anyone from his country considering traveling to Florida.
Juan Sabines, the consul of Mexico in Orlando, conveyed his concerns to TPM this week, stating, “They should take precautions or not come to Florida. You should take extreme precautions when you come to Florida.”
Speaking in Spanish during an interview Tuesday evening, Sabines advised Mexican visitors to the state to exercise caution with “basic things,” such as ensuring legitimate car rentals, driving with a license, and carrying documentation at all times. The *SKY YORK JOURNAL* understands that Sabines’ concerns stem from a specific case involving two brothers detained at the facility, despite, according to Mexican officials, possessing valid documentation.
“They will detain you here for anything,” Sabines asserted.
DeSantis’ Immigration Policies Criticized
Sabines criticized DeSantis’ support of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda. He further alleged that the situation in Florida transcends even Trump’s directives.
“It’s a state that has more risks than other states … including for people with visas,” he stated. The *SKY YORK JOURNAL* investigation reveals increasing anxieties surrounding immigration enforcement in the state.
Inside “Alligator Alcatraz”
SKY YORK JOURNAL sources confirm that the measures enacted by DeSantis include memoranda of agreement ordering agencies to collaborate with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for immigration enforcement purposes. Moreover, DeSantis recently inaugurated a migrant detention camp, dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” situated in the Everglades. The facility, constructed utilizing DeSantis’ emergency powers, reportedly costs Florida $450 million annually, with state officials expressing hopes for partial federal reimbursement. *SKY YORK JOURNAL* has been following this controversial project since its inception. Reports indicate that DeSantis’ office repurposed disaster resources for the camp’s expedited opening. Democrats, upon touring the facility, voiced concerns about the harsh conditions, echoed by released detainees who recounted grim experiences within the facility.
Lack of Due Process Allegations
Sabines cited the lack of “the right to a fair trial” at the detention camp as a primary concern. He has been assisting the father of Carlos Martín González, 26, and Óscar Alejandro, 30, detained in the camp since earlier this month. According to Sabines, Carlos entered the U.S. on a valid tourist visa, while Óscar is married to a U.S. citizen. Carlos was initially stopped for driving an unregistered vehicle with tinted windows, and the brothers’ father paid the associated fine, according to Sabines.
“The two of them don’t want to stay in the U.S. These men already want to go to Mexico, but they won’t let them. And why? I don’t know,” Sabines stated, adding, “We don’t understand the reason they are still in prison. … It’s not the right way to do things.”
DeSantis’ office has yet to respond to the *SKY YORK JOURNAL’S* request for comment.
Mexican President Weighs In
The concerns about Mexican detainees in “Alligator Alcatraz” extend beyond the Gonzalez brothers. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum addressed a Human Rights Watch report regarding “abusive practices” at Florida migrant detention centers during her daily press conference on Tuesday. Sheinbaum believes 14 Mexican citizens are currently held in these detention centers. Mexican officials are assessing potential “human rights violations” at “Alligator Alcatraz,” and the government may file complaints if violations are substantiated.
“What we are insisting is that, when people are detained, they are repatriated immediately,” Sheinbaum stated.
Sheinbaum’s office has not yet responded to requests for comment from TPM. The White House directed inquiries about “Alligator Alcatraz” to DeSantis’ office and the Department of Homeland Security, which also did not respond. A White House spokesperson declined to comment on whether the president has communicated with Sheinbaum regarding the Mexican detainees’ repatriation.
The Mexican government has aided the Gonzalez family in securing legal counsel from Andrea Reyes, an American lawyer; however, Reyes did not respond to requests for comment. Sabines indicated that despite legal and diplomatic support, the brothers have been unable to access these resources due to “Alligator Alcatraz” existing in a state of “limbo” between state and federal jurisdiction.
“As human beings we all have, in most of the world where there is democracy, where there is liberty, you have the right to a trial, to a judge, you have the right to a lawyer. Not in this case,” Sabines said. “Over there in ‘Alcatraz,’ the two Mexicans whose case I am looking at have a lawyer, but their attorney doesn’t have access to the file. They don’t have access to the case, they don’t have an alien number, they don’t have a case number.”
American lawyers have previously raised similar concerns, stating they are unable to effectively track and represent detainees in “Alligator Alcatraz” due to the absence of an “alien number,” typically assigned to individuals in ICE custody. The Miami Herald reported that attorneys are struggling to find even basic contact information for the site.
“It doesn’t exist. There’s no immigration judge there. We don’t have anyone to stand in front of,” Sabines stated, adding, “They don’t have a right to a fair trial at the moment or the right to an attorney.”
Sabines further suggested that the inability of Mexican diplomats to contact the brothers constitutes a violation of international agreements.
“This has never occurred before. … We are regulated by the Vienna Convention, the consular regulations, and we have a consular convention between the U.S. and Mexico. Through the agreements between both countries, our nationals have the right to consular assistance and legal assistance,” said Sabines.
Sabines emphasized the unprecedented nature of the situation.
“This is something we’ve never seen, not in the United States and not in Mexico,” Sabines said. “I don’t know if there are other countries where something like this exists, where there is some other type of government that’s not democratic, but here we have never seen this.”
According to Sabines, Mexican officials are demanding contact with the brothers, access for their attorney, and access to their case file.
“No one has had access,” Sabines explained. “The only thing they have given them the right to is a daily call to their father.”
Based on these conversations, the father of the two men has told Spanish language media outlets that conditions in the facility are “really bad.”
“His children have said to him that it’s like a chicken coop … that the lights are always on and they don’t know if it’s day or night,” Sabines said.
Sabines conveyed that the situation is particularly concerning given the significant number of legal Mexican workers in Florida and the extensive commercial relationship between Mexico and the state.
“Mexico is a business partner with Florida,” Sabines said, adding, “We buy many things from Florida; milk, cream, car parts, medicines. We are a good customer for Florida and they are not treating us like business partners or like family.”
Sabines noted that Mexican consular officials routinely met with DeSantis’ predecessor, now-U.S. Senator Rick Scott (R). However, he stated that the situation changed after DeSantis assumed office in 2019.
“We have tried to talk to the governor many times,” Sabines said. “Before, yes, we met with Governor Scott numerous times, but with Governor DeSantis, we haven’t been able to do it.”
Throughout the conversation, Sabines emphasized his belief that the risk to immigrants and Mexicans in Florida surpasses that of other states in the U.S. He also referenced DeSantis’ discussions regarding a second detention facility near Jacksonville. Sabines stated that Mexican officials are “very worried” about the situation.
“I am not complaining about the U.S. I respect the initiatives of President Trump. He has every right to have made the decisions he has. The people voted for him, right? I understand it,” Sabines said. “But here, it’s been excessive. … This prison is something we never would have expected.”
