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Detainees punished for seeking legal help at Florida detention center, lawsuit alleges

Jan 28, 2026 · Miami, FL

Detainees punished for seeking legal help at Florida detention center, lawsuit alleges

Two former detainees at the Everglades immigration detention center testified in federal court that they were punished for seeking legal advice, including having monitored calls dropped when discussing attorneys and being denied access to pen and paper. One detainee from Haiti alleged he was forced to sign self-deportation papers he did not understand without being able to consult with an attorney first. Civil rights attorneys sought a temporary injunction to ensure detainees receive the same legal access as those in federally-run facilities.

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