Advocacy Groups Allege Dehumanizing Treatment of Migrants in South Florida ICE Detention Centers
A new report released by Human Rights Watch, Americans for Immigrant Justice, and Sanctuary of the South details shocking allegations of abuse and neglect within three Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centers in South Florida. The report, released on July 21, 2025, is based on interviews with current and former detainees, family members, and lawyers, painting a disturbing picture of conditions inside these facilities.
Forced to Eat 'Like Animals': Disturbing Accounts from Miami Detention Center
One of the most disturbing allegations involves a Miami immigration detention center where men were reportedly forced to kneel and eat "like dogs." According to the report, detainees were confined in a crowded holding cell and made to wait until 7 PM for their evening meal. They were then allegedly forced to eat while still in restraints, with food placed on chairs before them. "We had to eat like animals," one detainee, identified as Pedro, stated in the report. Another account described men being shackled with their hands behind their backs and forced to "bend over and eat off the chairs with our mouths, like dogs."
Widespread Abuses Documented Across Multiple Facilities
The report documents a range of alleged violations occurring since January 2025 across all three South Florida ICE detention centers. These include severe overcrowding, inhumane conditions, medical neglect, and retaliation against detainees who seek help.
Severe Overcrowding Creates Unsanitary and Inhumane Conditions
Overcrowding is described as rampant in the report, with some cells holding more than twice their intended capacity. At the Krome detention center, detainees were allegedly held in small visitation rooms with up to 30 women, lacking beds, showers, or privacy for toilets. Some new arrivals were reportedly held on stationary buses for over 24 hours due to overcrowding, with men and women confined together and only one blocked toilet available.
"Ice Box" Conditions: Detainees Left in Frigid Rooms for Days
Numerous detainees reported being held for up to 12 days in extremely cold intake rooms, nicknamed "la hielera" (the ice box), without bedding or warm clothing. They were allegedly forced to sleep on concrete floors in these frigid conditions.
Medical Neglect and Lack of Psychological Care
The report alleges that detainees at the Broward Transitional Center experienced insufficient medical and psychological care. They reported delayed treatment for injuries and ongoing conditions, as well as dismissive behavior from staff. The report highlights the death of Marie Ange Blaise, a 44-year-old Haitian woman, who died at this facility in April 2025. There are also allegations that staff ignored a detainee coughing blood, leading to a "disturbance control team" assaulting protesters.
Lack of Hygiene, Privacy, and Gender-Specific Care
Women at the Krome North Service Processing Center were reportedly forced to use toilets in plain sight of male detainees. They also lacked access to appropriate gender-specific care and washing facilities, according to the report.
Retaliation for Seeking Help
Both men and women reported that seeking help, especially mental health support, could result in punishment and retaliation, including solitary confinement. This created a climate of fear and discouraged detainees from reporting abuse or seeking necessary medical or psychological assistance.
Detention Population Soars to Record Highs
The report highlights a significant increase in the immigration detention population. As of June 15, 2025, the daily average detention figures reached 56,400, a 40% increase from June 2024. This represents the highest number in US immigration detention history. According to the report, nearly 72% of these individuals had no criminal record.
"Alligator Alcatraz" Under Development Amid Overcrowding Crisis
The severe overcrowding in existing facilities has contributed to the rapid development of the controversial "Alligator Alcatraz" facility in the Everglades, which is planned to accommodate 5,000 undocumented migrants.
Report Blames Administration Policies for Deteriorating Conditions
The report attributes these alleged abuses to the current administration's "anti-immigrant escalation and enforcement tactics" and increased detention and deportation efforts since January 2025. It argues that these policies are creating a human rights crisis within the ICE detention system.
Advocates Denounce Dehumanizing Treatment and Call for Accountability
Katie Blankenship, an immigration attorney and co-founder of Sanctuary, stated, "The anti-immigrant escalation and enforcement tactics under the Trump administration are terrorizing communities and ripping families apart... The rapid, chaotic, and cruel approach to arresting and locking people up is literally deadly and causing a human rights crisis." Belkis Wille, associate crisis and conflict director at Human Rights Watch, stated that "people in immigration detention are being treated as less than human."
