At Florida’s controversial new illegal immigration detention center, nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz,” the largest threat may not be inside the tents, but what is buzzing just outside them.

Detainees at the state-run facility, located deep in the Everglades, say they are being relentlessly swarmed by mosquitoes so large and numerous that one man described them as “the size of elephants.”

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Leamsy Izquierdo, a Cuban who claims to be a permanent resident and was detained last week, said that the bloodthirsty insects are everywhere, according to a report.

Detainees being held at ‘Alligator Alcatraz' describe conditions at Everglades facility | WTVJ pic.twitter.com/Tcormcvakk

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Experts say the infestation is not just a nuisance — it’s a looming public health crisis.

“It’s mosquito heaven,” Yale epidemiologist and longtime Everglades researcher Durland Fish has said.

Fish said at least seven mosquito-borne viruses circulate in the Everglades, including West Nile virus, several forms of encephalitis, and the lesser-known but potentially dangerous Everglades Virus. Most have no vaccines or treatments and can cause severe neurological damage, especially in people without natural immunity.

With an estimated 7 billion mosquitoes in the region, he warns that even a small percentage carrying disease could quickly spark an outbreak

Florida State Rep. Anna Eskamani (D-Orlando) attempted to visit the facility last Thursday but was denied entry. She said she felt the conditions outside firsthand.

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“The second you open your car door, your car is infested with mosquitoes,” Eskamani told Fox 13 in Tampa, Florida.

At the facility, which began receiving detainees on July 2, detainees have also described food with worms, lack of access to showers or medication, and lights that stay on around the clock.