A disturbing new report reveals that detained immigrants at a Miami jail were allegedly forced to kneel and eat off chairs with their hands shackled behind their backs, drawing comparisons to being treated “like dogs.” The findings are part of a broader investigation by Human Rights Watch, Americans for Immigrant Justice, and Sanctuary of the South into alleged abuses across three ICE-operated facilities in South Florida.
The report, based on interviews with detainees, outlines claims of overcrowding, delayed medical care, unsanitary conditions, and instances of physical violence by guards. In one case, dozens of men were reportedly crammed into a holding cell for hours without food before being presented meals they were unable to eat properly due to their restraints.
At the Krome North Service Processing Center, female detainees allegedly had to use toilets in full view of male detainees, were denied showers and adequate food, and lacked gender-appropriate care. The overcrowding was so severe that some detainees reported being held for 24 hours on a parked bus with a single toilet that quickly became unusable.
Once inside, many were placed in “la hielera” — cold holding cells with no blankets or warm clothing — for up to 12 days, forced to sleep on concrete floors.
At the Broward Transitional Center, guards allegedly turned off surveillance cameras before a “disturbance control team” assaulted detainees protesting the lack of medical attention for a fellow migrant coughing up blood.
The groups say these abuses are part of a broader “human rights crisis” intensified under the Trump administration’s hardline immigration policies. “The rapid, chaotic, and cruel approach to arresting and locking people up is literally deadly,” said Katie Blankenship, an immigration attorney and co-founder of Sanctuary of the South.
The report also notes that as of mid-June, ICE was detaining over 56,000 people daily—nearly three-quarters of whom had no criminal record. By contrast, the 2024 daily average was 37,500.
Advocates warn the situation is escalating dangerously, especially in Florida, where detention centers are overwhelmed, and new facilities like the so-called “Alligator Alcatraz” are being built in haste.
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Katie is a senior who has been on staff for three years. Her favorite type of stories to write is reviews and features. Katie’s favorite ice cream flavor is strawberry.
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