Migrant Detention Centers in Florida Under Scrutiny: A Harrowing Report Unveils Abuses

A comprehensive report by Human Rights Watch, working alongside Americans for Immigrant Justice and Sanctuary of the South, has illuminated the severe human rights violations faced by migrants detained in Florida since the beginning of Donald Trump's second term. The report, grounded in 17 interviews with detainees, conversations with seven family members, insights from 14 lawyers, and data inspection, exposes degrading treatment, medical negligence, overcrowding, and psychological retaliation at three facilities: Krome North, Broward Transition Center (BTC), and Federal Detention Center (FDC) in Miami. Notably, Alligator Alcatraz is excluded from the report as it opened less than a month ago, although its practices seem to mirror those outlined by Human Rights Watch.

One of the most disturbing incidents occurred at the Miami Federal Detention Center, where detainees were handcuffed behind their backs and forced to kneel to eat from disposable plates, without chairs or tables. "We had to eat like animals," recalled Pedro, one of the interviewed immigrants.

Overcrowding, Negligence, and Abuse

Since January, following the start of Donald Trump's second presidency and the enactment of Executive Order 14159 and the Laken Riley Act, detentions have surged dramatically. The daily average of detainees soared from 37,500 in 2024 to over 56,000 by June 2025, with more than 70% having no criminal record. Florida, with more than 76% of its law enforcement agencies partnered with ICE through 287(g) agreements, has become a focal point of this crackdown.

The three jails highlighted in the report are operating beyond capacity, with Krome reaching up to three times its operational limit. The report documents the use of buses to hold detainees for over 24 hours without food, water, or restroom access. "The bus smelled strongly of feces," one man recounted. Others described spending up to 12 days in overcrowded, frigid rooms with no bedding or warmth, known as "the cooler."

Institutional Violence and Death

In April, at the FDC, a riot squad attacked immigrants protesting inadequate medical care for a man coughing up blood. Reports claim staff disabled surveillance cameras. Several detainees suffered injuries from beatings, including a fractured finger. The allegations of physical violence extend to medical neglect of chronic conditions like HIV, hypertension, and gallstones, which are routinely ignored.

At Krome, a woman was returned post-emergency surgery without medication; another patient with a hernia waited three weeks for treatment. The report links these practices to at least two deaths: Maksym Chernyak, a 44-year-old Ukrainian, and Marie Ange Blaise, a 44-year-old Haitian detained at BTC, who died after not receiving timely medical care.

Women processed in a male facility like Krome were forced to use restrooms within view of men, lacking privacy and proper medical care. Some were sent back to cold cells post-surgery without prescribed medications.

A System That Punishes Suffering

Beyond physical violence and lack of medical care, the report highlights systemic negligence regarding mental health. Those seeking psychological help were placed in isolation as punishment. "If you cry, they isolate you for weeks. So people stay silent," one detained woman explained. Detainees requesting mental support faced weeks in isolation. One individual self-harmed and was confined without medical or psychological attention, the report alleges.

Access to attorneys is limited, with some migrants pressured to sign deportation documents without understanding their content or having translation or legal representation.

Urgent Call to Action

The organizations behind the report demand an end to 287(g) agreements and the widespread use of migrant detention, urging ICE to implement humane alternatives, ensure medical and legal access, and uphold basic human rights. "The fast, chaotic, and cruel approach to arresting and incarcerating people is literally deadly," warned Katie Blankenship, co-founder of Sanctuary of the South. "It is causing a human rights crisis that will haunt this state and the nation for years," she concluded.