ICE Relocates Krome Detainees Due to Wildfires in Miami-Dade

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced on Tuesday the evacuation of the Krome Service Processing Center, located at 18201 SW 12th St., in the western part of Miami-Dade County. This decision comes as multiple wildfires have ravaged at least 22,157 acres in the area, according to a written statement from the agency.

"ICE initiated the evacuation of the Krome Service Processing Center due to wildfires occurring near the detention facility," the federal agency stated.

Detainees were transported to various ICE facilities both within and outside the state of Florida. However, the agency has not disclosed the total number of migrants affected or their identities.

Among the nearest wildfires to the facility are those named Corrections and Quarry 2, as indicated by monitoring maps from the Florida Forest Service. The Corrections fire, located south of 8th Street and west of Krome Avenue, had charred between 305 and 330 acres with only 15% containment as of June 21.

The Quarry 2 fire, the largest of the three active blazes, began on June 16 and has scorched an estimated 19,000 acres, though it was reported to be 97% contained by June 20. A third fire, known as the Well Fire, started on June 17 and affected 1,425 acres with 70% containment.

The emergency also led to the closure of Krome Avenue in both directions between Okeechobee Road and Tamiami Trail, the evacuation of about 200 residents from Jones Fish Camp—who were able to return by June 21—and an air quality alert issued by the National Weather Service for areas including Doral, Sweetwater, and Westchester.

ICE confirmed that the evacuation proceeded smoothly and without incident. "ICE considers the health and safety of those in its custody a top priority," the agency emphasized, adding that it will continue to coordinate with the Florida Forest Service to monitor the fire situation.

Among those relocated was former Ecuadorian Interior Minister José Serrano, who had been held in Krome since August 2025 and was transferred on Tuesday to the Adams County Correctional Center in Mississippi, as reported by El Diario NY.

Krome Center has been in operation since 1980 and was originally designed to hold Cuban and Haitian refugees, with a capacity for around 600 individuals. Under the Trump administration, the detained population at Krome surged to nearly 1,700 people—almost three times its capacity—sparking complaints of overcrowding, lack of medical care, and inhumane treatment. In 2025, four individuals died while detained at the facility.

The 2026 wildfire season in Florida is considered the most active in over a decade. Since January, more than 1,916 fires have burned approximately 120,000 acres statewide, in a period of extreme drought where over 70% of the territory has experienced rainfall 50% below average since September 2025.