Legal Framework

UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Mandela Rules) — Rules 43-46

Prohibit prolonged solitary confinement (over 15 consecutive days), define solitary confinement as 22+ hours daily without meaningful human contact, and bar its use on prisoners with disabilities whose conditions would worsen.

Related incidents

2 incidents

Torture and Enforced Disappearances at 'Alligator Alcatraz' and Krome Detention Centers

Florida immigration detention centers are sites of documented torture including a punitive cage device, prolonged solitary confinement, unsanitary conditions, and enforced disappearances facilitated …

  • Amnesty International conducted a research trip to southern Florida in September 2025 and published findings in December 2025 documenting …
  • 'Alligator Alcatraz' (Everglades Detention Facility) operates OUTSIDE federal oversight, without the basic tracking systems used in ICE …

Surge in Solitary Confinement in Immigration Detention

10,500+ people subjected to solitary confinement in immigration detention over 14 months, with usage surging under the Trump administration. Nearly 75% of placements exceeded the UN's 15-day torture …

  • Over 10,500 people were placed in solitary confinement in immigration detention centers between April 2024 and May 2025.
  • The monthly rate of solitary confinement use under the second Trump administration was twice the rate from 2018-2023 and more than six times …