Immigrant Arrests Soar: Allegations of Abuse Rise at Miami’s Historic Detention Center

At the Krome Detention Center in Miami, which borders the Florida Everglades, dozens of immigrants flooded in, causing a noticeable anxiety about potential unrest among the facility’s employees.

President Donald J. Trump aimed to fulfill his campaign promise of conducting widespread arrests and deportations of immigrants. As part of this effort, Krome, which is the U.S.'s most ancient immigration detention center and has a notorious past marked by numerous abuses, experienced an increase in detainees to almost triple its usual limit of 600 inmates.

"Currently, there are 1700 individuals present at Krome!!!," an immigration enforcement officer messaged their colleague recently, noting that despite feeling insecure when navigating the premises, none of them were ready to voice their concerns openly.

This fear – dreading retaliation for attempting to improve humane treatment conditions – arises as a struggle unfolds in federal courts and within congressional corridors about whether the administration’s immigration policies have excessively violated basic rights too quickly.

At Krome, numerous reports have emerged regarding shortages of water and food, as well as unsanitary conditions and inadequate medical care for detainees. In response to this influx of grievances, the Trump administration decided to close down three Department of Homeland Security watchdog agencies responsible for looking into these issues.

A set of written communications along with multiple additional files was provided to The Associated Press by a government worker who wished to remain unidentified due to concerns about potential repercussions. Included among these papers are prisoner grievances and details regarding the transfer of 40 females to Krome, which operates as an exclusively male detention center, potentially contravening a statute aimed at minimizing sexual abuse within correctional facilities.

Krome is not alone in facing a major issue common to other detention centers: insufficient bed capacity. Across the country, detainments have risen sharply to almost 48,000 by March 23rd, marking a 21% jump compared to the high numbers recorded towards the conclusion of the Biden presidency. Recently, these figures have largely stabilized as various legal challenges have halted attempts to deport many of these detainees.

In response to the shortfall, ICE recently issued an appeal for proposals to manage detention facilities with funding potentially reaching up to $45 billion. This move aims at scaling their capacity to accommodate 100,000 beds compared to the present allocation sufficient for around 41,000 individuals. Part of this expansion includes exploring the use of U.S. Army bases to house immigrants—a step that challenges a longstanding prohibition dating back over a hundred years against using the military in civil policing roles.

According to certain metrics, Trump’s contentious strategy seems effective. Data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection shows that only about 11,000 migrants were apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border in March, marking the lowest figure in at least ten years and a significant drop from the 96,035 individuals recorded in December 2024.

Krome is merely one of five centers operated directly by ICE—the rest are located in Buffalo, Arizona, and two in Texas—and has the capacity to hold detainees for over 16 hours. Following Trump’s inauguration, ICE received directives to apprehend immigrants who lacked numerous alternatives regarding their placement. Most of the available beds are rented from regional prisons, jails, or private establishments that have stringent limitations on the number of detainees they're legally bound to accommodate under their contracts.

As the solid cellblocks gradually filled with inmates, federal employees began recording deteriorating conditions in weekly reports submitted to senior officials within the Department of Homeland Security. These concerns were escalated progressively through various channels including the DHS’ Office of Immigration & Detention Ombudsman—a watchdog entity set up by lawmakers under President Donald Trump’s initial term aimed at mitigating backlash stemming from multiple controversies over mistreatment at these holding centers.

The office experienced four different ombudsmen within just two months as Trump administration officials increased arrest rates without having a clear strategy for their placement. Matters escalated further around mid-March when all 100 employees of the office, which included a case manager stationed at Krome, were put on administrative leave; this move was reportedly aimed at eliminating obstacles to more stringent enforcement measures.

“Instead of backing law enforcement initiatives, these entities frequently act as internal opponents that hinder operations,” stated DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin.

At around the same moment, Krome’s disorder became visible to everyone. Pictures clandestinely captured using a mobile phone and uploaded onto TikTok depicted several men slumbering on cement floors and beneath tables, using nothing but their footwear for support as makeshift pillows.

We feel like we've been abducted," stated Osiris Vázquez, her eyes red from insufficient rest, in the blurry video clip that attracted 4.4 million views. "Our aim isn’t for likes; we desperately need assistance. Please help us!

Vázquez, who was arrested while returning home from a construction site close to Miami, mentioned that he had been sharing a cramped space with about 80 men over a period of two weeks. The facility did not permit showers or telephone use; the foul-smelling restrooms were neglected, and meals were limited to nothing but peanut butter sandwiches.

Without a clock, without a window, and with no natural light," Vázquez recounted during an interview. "The sense of time vanished; one couldn’t tell if it was day or night anymore.

In the end, Vázquez chose to voluntarily deport himself. However, his ordeal was far from over. After returning to his birthplace of Morelia, Mexico — a city he hadn’t visited in nearly ten years — he required hospitalization twice due to a respiratory infection which he claims he contracted at Krome.

"All the people I know fell ill. We were standing very close to each other," stated Vázquez.

Things could be worse. Ever since Trump came back to the White House, three detainees have passed away while being held under ICE supervision — with two of those deaths occurring at Krome.

The most recent case involves Maksym Chernyak, who passed away shortly after expressing concerns to his spouse regarding overcrowded spaces and frigid temperatures. This 44-year-old Ukrainian national came into the U.S. lawfully with his partner back in August through a humanitarian initiative designed for those escaping their nation’s conflict with Russia.

After his arrest in South Florida for domestic violence, he was transferred to Krome where he soon fell ill with a severe chest cold. Following a week of observation due to elevated blood pressure, on February 18th around 2:30 AM, he was rushed to the hospital because of seizure-like episodes of vomiting and trembling. According to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) document, he seemed both drunk and non-responsive periodically. He passed away two days thereafter.

Aside from acetaminophen, he was not administered any medications for his blood pressure, states a two-page ICE report regarding Chernyak's demise. The autopsy determined that the cause of death was due to complications arising from a stroke, which was further complicated by obesity.

The widow of Chernyak stated that prior to her husband’s arrest, he was a "robust and fit individual." She mentioned that without a translator, her husband found it difficult to convey to the guards that his health was rapidly declining.

Oksana Tarasiuk stated in an interview, “They noticed his state but chose to ignore him. If he hadn’t been taken to Krome, I am certain he would still be alive.”

ICE, in a statement, didn't comment on specific allegations of mistreatment but said it adjusts its operations as needed to uphold its duty to treat individuals with dignity and respect.

These accusations do not align with ICE policies, practices, and standards of care," the organization stated. "ICE strongly upholds its dedication to maintaining safe, secure, and humane conditions for individuals under our supervision.

Lawyers stated that recently, several detainees have been moved from Krome, leading to improvements in living conditions. However, critics argue this might merely be relocating issues within the broader immigration detention network.

About 20 miles east of Krome, at the Federal Detention Center located in downtown Miami, corrections staff were compelled to use flash bang grenades, pepper spray, paintballs, and stun rounds to subdue a rebellion among inmates, according to two individuals knowledgeable about the incident who spoke to the Associated Press.

The event happened when approximately 40 inmates had been waiting for nearly eight hours to enter the facility due to jail staff incorrectly counting the number of individuals transferred by ICE, sources said, speaking anonymously since they weren’t permitted to talk openly. Amidst the chaos, some of the incoming detainees, including several from Jamaica, removed a fire sprinkler from the ceiling, causing water damage in a detention area, and also seized batons belonging to the corrections officers, the sources reported.

The federal Bureau of Prisons, responsible for managing the institution, did not verify specific aspects of the event; however, they stated that throughout the situation, the general public remained safe.

This has placed immense stress on our team," stated Kenny X. Castillo, who serves as the president of the union for FDC Miami employees. "We are essentially handling the responsibilities of two separate entities within a single facility.

Trump's administration has yet to reveal his plans for mass deportations even as he seeks to eliminate legal status for 1 million migrants previously granted humanitarian parole or some other form of temporary protection. The latest ICE data suggests so-called removal of migrants is actually below levels at the end of the Biden administration.

This indicates that detentions may increase, and as current facilities reach their maximum capacity, the urgency to accommodate all detainees becomes more pressing. Increased spending on new detention centers benefits federal contractors; since Trump’s election, their stock values have risen sharply. However, recruiting staff who agree to enforce these policies continues to be a significant hurdle.

At a recent job fair held in Miami, only a few candidates attended an event organized by Akima Global Services, which has annual revenues exceeding $2 billion. This company supplies personnel for multiple immigration detention facilities, such as Krome.

As many of these facilities have faced persistent under staffing over several years," stated Michelle Brané, an immigration lawyer who served as the final ombudsman during the Biden administration. "The roles are challenging and the working environments are far from agreeable.

On Thursday, advocates from the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights group initiated legal action against DHS, aiming to contest the Trump administration’s choice to close down the oversight bodies.

Claims of inadequate circumstances are not unheard of at Krome.

The establishment served as the country’s initial migrant detention center back in the 1970s, primarily to handle the significant influx of Haitian boat refugees. Prior to this, most migrants were not held for longer than a few days.

During the early 2000s, the institution faced disturbing reports of guards engaging in sexual abuse or soliciting sexual acts from female inmates. Multiple guards ended up facing criminal charges as a result.

However, more recently, the facility seemed to have made progress, as ICE even welcomed the media for a visit to an unprecedented mental health center.

Then it changed abruptly.

According to the most recent ICE data, as of March 31, the facility accommodated 740 men and a single woman, based solely on the midnight count for the final day of the month. This number marks an increase of 31% since shortly before President Trump assumed office. ICE declined to reveal Krome’s present capacity due to security reasons.

As of now this year, the ombudsman's office has recorded over 2,000 prisoner grievances, stated a federal worker.

Brané expressed concern that detainee deaths, which began increasing under the Biden administration due to a surge in arrests, might sharply escalate without personnel present to look into allegations of abuse.

As far as I know, everything came to a halt and individuals were instructed to return home," stated Brané. "When you accelerate operations, reduce supervision, and increase detainee numbers, it sets the stage for potential catastrophe.

After Chernyak’s passing, a community-led alliance of immigration advocates and leftist organizations arranged a protest on the highway approaching Krome’s entry point, demanding the shutdown of the facility. Several hundred participants attended, with many carrying images of immigrants “abducted” by ICE along with placards stating “American Gulag, American Shame” and “Immigrants Build America.”

This month, Democratic Miami Mayor Daniella Levine Cava sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem requesting a visit to the facility. The DHS media office did not respond to an inquiry about whether Noem had approved this request. Furthermore, 49 Democrats from Congress have also addressed Noem, urging for information on how the agency plans to alleviate overcrowding at ICE detention centers.

Hubert Argueta-Perez mentioned that he witnessed similar issues when he was held at Krome recently. This 35-year-old man from Guatemala, who had been residing in the U.S. for nearly twenty years, found himself incarcerated on March 10 following an errand to drop off his two children—who are American citizens—at their school in Miami. During his nine-day confinement, he slept on a hard concrete surface inside a cramped space with too many people. He recounted becoming extremely ill due to the low temperature but claimed that despite repeated requests, he was not provided with a sweater nor medications.

Argueta-Perez, who was deported on March 19, stated in an interview from Guatemala, “We didn’t belong there. The more we protested, the harsher the penalties became.”

Don't overlook all of our updates. www.mundoamerica.com .