On Sundays in August, hundreds of people of faith have been gathering at the gates of Florida’s new detention facility, known by many as “Alligator Alcatraz.” Located deep in the Everglades, the site was built hastily on an abandoned airstrip and now cages hundreds of immigrants in inhumane conditions. Reports of broken toilets, moldy food, and sweltering tents make it clear: this is a moral crisis.

Faith leaders in close partnership with Florida Immigrant Coalition and the Miccosukee Tribe joined together for five consecutive Sundays, standing in a small clearing on the side of US 41 outside the entrance of the facility for prayer, testimony, and lament. Their message was simple: no one belongs in cages. Over 280 people attended the August 17 vigil, arriving by bus and carpool from churches and community groups across the state. Diverse voices—Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Indigenous, and people of moral conscience—lifted prayers and poems, refusing to look away from the injustice happening just across the street.