MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — New documents released from a nonprofit working on immigration cases detail the conditions inside Krome North Processing Center, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Detention Facility in Miami-Dade County.
The facility, according to immigration lawyers, is where some people from South Florida are held once they are taken into custody by federal immigration officers. For the first time, WPTV heard directly from migrants about the conditions inside the facility through legal declarations and federal filings.
WATCH BELOW: Nonprofit report outlines "hellish" conditions at Krome Detention Center
"The room smelled really bad, and men were lying down right next to the toilet — even as others did their business right next to their heads," said one migrant identified as R.A. "It was disgusting."
R.A was one of multiple people who identified people sleeping near toilets due to overcrowding issues.
"The first week was hellish. I was brought to a room where there were about 60 to 80 other men. The room was extremely crowded, and at night there was barely enough room for everyone to lie down," said a man identified as D.B. in a declaration. "One man slept sitting on a toilet, and others were sleeping right next to the toilet."
WPTV has previously reported overcrowded conditions within Krome after conversations with immigration lawyers in March. At the time of that report, data from ICE showed the facility had 605 people, but the capacity was listed at 581 based on congressional budget documents. More recent data showed the number of people held at the facility increased to almost 700.
Multiple people said the overcrowded issues led to detainees spending hours on buses, sometimes sleeping in shackles, as they waited to enter the facility.
"Spending the night on the bus was very painful," said one migrant whose name was redacted from the report. "We were fully shackled all night, and it was almost impossible to sleep shackled and sitting on uncomfortable bus seats. … The bus also began to smell very bad. We could see other vans and buses in the parking lot, and detained men from these vans and buses were brought onto our bus throughout the night to use the toilet, since, the guards told us, we were the only ones with a toilet on our bus. Because of this, the whole bus started to stink."
Evelyn Wise, an attorney at Americans for Immigration Justice who collected these reports, said the level of human rights crisis within the facility is truly staggering. She said the facility won't allow cameras or recordings within the facility, which makes it hard for the public to understand the level of conditions.
"There is also a lack of access to these facilities," Wise said. "It's difficult for the public to get a glimpse into what is happening."
WPTV has been tracking cases filed against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who oversees ICE. As of April 25, we found about 48 cases filed against the federal agency in less than 100 days since President Donald Trump's administration started in January.
However, there's no way to determine the allegations within the filings or details of the cases since virtually all of the cases are filed under seal. Wise said undocumented migrants are scared to reveal themselves due to retaliation.
"They're complaining about conditions that are being set where they currently are," she said. "So, I think this makes it really challenging to understand the scope of what's happening and to ensure that folks' rights aren't being violated."
WPTV reached out to ICE for comment on the report. Below is the statement they sent us:
"U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s enhanced enforcement operations and routine daily operations have resulted in a significant number of arrests of criminal aliens that require greater detention capacity. While we cannot confirm individual pre-decisional conversations, we can confirm that ICE is exploring all options to meet its current and future detention requirements."
On Background:
ICE takes its commitment to promoting safe, secure, humane environments for those in our custody very seriously. These allegations are not in keeping with ICE policies, practices. and standards of care.”
ICE takes all allegations of misconduct very seriously, but we are unable to sufficiently substantiate the specific allegations without dates and names of the individuals who are making these claims.
As a law enforcement agency, ICE expects all employees to adhere to the highest standards of professional conduct and to demonstrate integrity and professionalism in all aspects of their work. ICE takes any allegations regarding professional misconduct seriously. If you have information about a specific individual, ICE requests that any information about the incident be shared so the agency may look further into the matter.
Allegations of ICE employee or contractor misconduct should be reported to the DHS Office of Inspector General at 800-323-8603 or the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility at 833-442-3677 or ICEOPRIntake@ice.dhs.gov, a monitored electronic mailbox. ICE encourages reporting detention facility complaints to the Detention Reporting and Information Line at 888-351-4024, a toll-free service with trained operators to help on a wide range of topics – language assistance is also available.
Ensuring the safety, security, and well-being of individuals in our custody is a top priority at ICE. Some ICE facilities are experiencing temporary overcrowding due to recent increases in detention populations. We are actively implementing measures to manage capacity while maintaining compliance with federal standards and our commitment to humane treatment.
ICE is using multiple strategies to address these challenges, including the transfer of detainees to alternative facilities with available capacity, expedited case processing where appropriate, and coordination with federal, state, and local partners to ensure continued oversight and accountability. Additionally, we remain committed to providing necessary medical care, access to legal resources, and safe living conditions for all individuals in our custody.
Please see news release below on the recent agreement with Glades County for additional bed space.
ICE expands detention capacity with Glades County Jail in Florida
Read the full 46-page report from Americans for Immigrant Justice below:
