"You can't hide": the patches with skulls worn by guards at Alligator Alcatraz

Key Takeaways

• Guards at the Alligator Alcatraz immigration detention center reportedly wear skull-themed morale patches that read “No puedes esconderte” (“You can’t hide”), and activists say one patch was handed to a protester.
• It has been reported that detainees allege the patches are used to intimidate migrants; human rights groups have previously documented abuses at the facility.
• The contractor (Critical Response Strategies) and Florida’s Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) did not respond to requests for comment; it has been reported that the Department of Homeland Security also did not reply.
• The symbolism and rhetoric echo public comments by political figures about wildlife around the site and may feed oversight and legal complaints by detainees and advocates.

What happened

Guards at the new detention facility in the Everglades nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz,” west of Miami, have been observed using morale patches with skulls, grim-reaper imagery and the phrase “No puedes esconderte.” It has been reported that one guard removed a velcro patch and gave it to activist Courtney Prokopas during a protest; detainees who spoke to EL PAÍS allege many officers wear one or several of these designs and that the patches are used to intimidate people inside. These accounts are based on detainee and activist reports and are described here as alleged conduct.

Oversight and legal context

The center is run by Florida’s Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) and staffed by a private contractor, Critical Response Strategies. Representatives for the contractor, FDEM and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) did not respond to requests for comment, it has been reported. DHS (Department of Homeland Security) oversees federal immigration enforcement functions such as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), but states and contractors may operate facilities under different arrangements; it is not clear whether the patch designs were formally authorized by any agency. Amnesty International and other groups have previously reported human-rights violations and “dehumanizing” conditions at the facility, concerns that critics say are reinforced by threatening symbolism.

Human impact and what it means now

For people detained there — including asylum seekers and other migrants held in civil immigration detention rather than under criminal sentences — the reported use of ominous insignia can deepen fear, trauma and distrust of staff. Allegations of intimidation and degrading treatment can strengthen oversight complaints and may be cited in civil rights or administrative complaints alleging cruel or inhumane conditions. Advocates say detainees and visitors should document incidents where possible and contact legal counsel or independent oversight bodies; complaints can be filed with state authorities and with federal offices such as DHS’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, depending on who is responsible for a particular element of the facility’s operations.

Source: Original Article