Abuse Complaints Rise at Miami’s Oldest Detention Center

Introduction to the Crisis

As hundreds of migrants crowded into the Krome Detention Center in Miami on the edge of the Florida Everglades, a palpable fear of an uprising set in among its staff. The facility, the United States’ oldest immigration detention center and one with a long history of abuse, saw its prisoner population recently swell to nearly three times its capacity of 600.

Background and Context

As President Donald J. Trump sought to make good on his campaign pledge of mass arrests and removals of migrants, reports have poured in about a lack of water and food, unsanitary confinement, and medical neglect. With the surge of complaints, the Trump administration shut down three Department of Homeland Security oversight offices charged with investigating such claims. A copy of the text exchange and several other documents were shared with The Associated Press by a federal employee on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. Other documents include detainee complaints as well as an account of the arrival of 40 women at Krome, an all-male facility, in possible violation of a federal law to reduce the risk of prison rape.

The Crisis Unfolds

“There are 1700 people here at Krome!!!!,” one U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement employee texted a co-worker last month, adding that even though it felt unsafe to walk around the facility, nobody was willing to speak out. That tension — fearing reprisal for trying to ensure more humane conditions — comes amid a battle in federal courts and the halls of Congress over whether the president’s immigration crackdown has gone too far, too fast at the expense of fundamental rights.

The Shortage of Beds

Krome is hardly alone in a core challenge faced by other facilities: a lack of bed space. Nationwide, detentions have surged to nearly 48,000 as of March 23, a 21% increase from the already elevated levels at the end of the Biden administration. In recent weeks, they have mostly flatlined as efforts to deport many of those same migrants have been blocked by several lawsuits. To address the shortage, ICE this month published a request for bids to operate detention centers for up to $45 billion as it seeks to expand to 100,000 beds from its current budget for about 41,000.

Other Facilities and Their Constraints

Krome is just one of five facilities that ICE directly runs — the others are in Buffalo, Arizona, and two in Texas — and can house detainees for more than 16 hours. After Trump took office, ICE had orders to round up migrants with few options on where to send them. The vast majority of bed space is leased from local prisons, jails, or privately run facilities that have strict limits on how many detainees they are contractually obligated to accept.

Detainee Accounts and Official Responses

A detainee, Osiris Vázquez, shared his experience, saying, “We are practically kidnapped. We don’t want likes. We want help. Please!” Vázquez, who was detained while driving home from a construction job near Miami, said he shared for two weeks a small room with some 80 men. Showers and phone calls weren’t allowed, the fetid-smelling bathrooms were left unattended, and food was restricted to peanut butter sandwiches. 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.

Oversight and Accountability

The situation worsened in mid-March, when the office’s 100 staffers — including a case manager at Krome — were placed on administrative leave in what officials described as an effort to remove roadblocks to enforcement. “Rather than supporting law enforcement efforts, they often function as internal adversaries that slow down operations,” DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said. Attorneys said that in recent days, Krome has transferred out a number of detainees and conditions have improved. But that could just be shifting problems elsewhere in the migration detention system, immigration attorneys and advocates say.

Detentions Drive Profits

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. That means detentions are likely to rise and, with facilities at capacity, the need to house all the detainees will get more urgent. Spending on new facilities is a boon for federal contractors, whose stock prices have surged since Trump’s election.

Krome’s History and the Future

Allegations of substandard conditions are nothing new at Krome. The facility was set up as essentially the nation’s first migrant detention center in the 1970s to process the large number of boat refugees fleeing Haiti. Before that, almost no migrants were detained for more than a few days. In the early 2000s, the facility was wracked by harrowing accounts of guards sexually assaulting or coercing sexual favors from female prisoners. Several guards were criminally charged.

Conclusion

The crisis at Krome Detention Center and similar facilities across the United States highlights the need for immediate attention to the conditions and treatment of migrants. The shutdown of oversight offices and the lack of transparency in the handling of detainee complaints exacerbate the situation. It is crucial for the government to address these issues, ensure humane treatment, and provide a clear path forward for immigration policy that respects fundamental rights.

FAQs

1. What is the Krome Detention Center?

   • The Krome Detention Center is the United States’ oldest immigration detention facility, located in Miami, Florida.

2. What are the main issues at Krome Detention Center?

   • The main issues include overcrowding, lack of water and food, unsanitary conditions, medical neglect, and reports of abuse.

3. How has the Trump administration responded to the crisis?

   • The Trump administration has shut down oversight offices that investigate complaints of mistreatment, and there are plans to expand detention capacity through new facilities and contracts.

4. What is the impact on migrants and staff?

   • Migrants face harsh conditions, including overcrowding, lack of basic necessities, and fear of abuse. Staff members fear speaking out due to potential reprisal, contributing to a tense and potentially dangerous environment.
5. What are the potential solutions?
   • Immediate attention to improving conditions, reinstating oversight, and addressing the root causes of migration are crucial. A humane and transparent approach to immigration policy is necessary to prevent further crises.