A West Palm Beach man is seeking answers after learning his cousin was taken to the controversial Alligator Alcatraz detention facility, where he says the detainee is facing harsh cold weather conditions.
Melbi Morales said his cousin, 22-year-old Jose Luis Perez Bravo, was taken to the facility days after he was pulled over and arrested. Morales said Bravo is describing conditions there as "miserable."
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“Unfortunately he’s there now, he has to be tough,” said Morales.
Morales says Bravo came to the U.S. four years ago through asylum and obtained a work visa. He was on his way to work when he was pulled over and arrested by Florida Highway Patrol in North Palm Beach.
"He's just shocked. At the end of the day, he's just shocked about all this," said Morales.
Morales spoke with Bravo over the phone Thursday as a rare cold front moved through the area.
"And he goes, it's freezing up here and it's really, really cold. The sunlight doesn't give much because we don't see it," said Morales.
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As temperatures dropped to the 40s, hundreds of detainees were forced to deal with the cold conditions. Morales detailed what Bravo told him about the lack of supplies.
"We're not given jackets. We're not given anything thicker to warm ourselves in. It's just miserable. Miserable, miserable, miserable," Morales said his cousin told him. “We’re all human beings and we should all deserve, even in there, to have a jacket.”
WPTV Reporter Zitlali Solache pressed the governor's office for answers. They directed inquiries to the Florida Department of Emergency Management, who provided this statement:
Detainees have access to jackets, hats, and blankets, with additional blankets available as needed. All dorms are climate-controlled and are equipped with secondary heating solutions when necessary, and additional space heaters are available as appropriate.
WPTV learned just hours later that Morales' cousin did finally get access to cold-weather resources like jackets.
The situation comes as WPTV Chief Investigative Reporter Jamie Ostroff covered ongoing civil lawsuits claiming detainees were denied attorney access, while officials argue they did meet required standards.
Morales hopes his cousin will be able to stay safe, get a court date and remain in the U.S.
"There's a probability he can keep working here doing what he loves doing, which is being a chef," Morales said. "Hopefully, he has a possibility for him to stay here in Florida. We're going to try hard for him to do that," said Morales.
