Harrowing Accounts from Women Held at Florida ICE Facility

In a chilling revelation, four immigrant women detained at the Krome North Processing Center in Miami have described their ordeal as a "living hell" while under the custody of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). According to a recent investigation by USA Today, these women, who have no criminal records, were relocated to this predominantly male facility in February.

During their detention, the women reported being shackled around the chest, deprived of food, water, and bathroom access for hours, and crammed into overcrowded cells with nothing but cold cement to sleep on. They shared their harrowing experiences anonymously through interviews and recordings, fearing backlash as they remain in custody. "We smelled worse than animals," one woman recounted. "Every day more girls arrived. We pleaded, 'You can't let them come. There was no space,'" she added.

Shackled and Deprived of Basic Needs

The detained women described being handcuffed at the wrists, waist, and chest before being transported in prison buses. Some were held in these vehicles for six to twelve hours without access to restrooms or food. Guards reportedly instructed them to relieve themselves on the floor when they asked to use the bathroom.

The psychological toll on these detainees was immense. One woman detailed her experiences in a letter to her fiancé, titled "Hell on Earth." They were housed in cramped cells with up to 27 other women, lacking privacy, sufficient bedding, and limited access to water and hygiene. They were forced to sleep on cement benches in rooms monitored by cameras and use bathrooms without partitions. One woman claimed she went without food for 36 hours, while others noted the lack of potable water, having to knock on cell windows to receive a paper cone filled with water from a jug.

Neglect and Lack of Medical Attention

The women also reported insufficient medical and sanitary care. One waited 12 hours for menstrual hygiene products, while another developed a severe rash from not being able to bathe. Despite their fears, some have chosen to speak out in hopes of instigating change. Their stories expose a system that, contrary to ICE's "non-punitive" policy, has become a setting of suffering, dehumanization, and neglect for women whose sole "offense" was a migration violation.

On March 10, at least four Cuban migrants with I-220A were detained during their ICE appointment. Initially sent to the Broward detention center, they were later moved to facilities in California, with two remaining at a migrant detention center in Otay Mesa, San Diego.

Deaths in Custody and Ongoing Investigations

These allegations emerged shortly after two men died in ICE custody at the Krome center on January 23 and February 20, respectively. Despite the severity of these claims, ICE informed USA Today that it "cannot substantiate specific allegations without the names of the individuals involved."

In an official statement, ICE asserted, "ICE is deeply committed to fostering safe, secure, and humane environments for those in our custody. These accusations do not align with ICE's policies, practices, and standards of care." However, official reports have documented serious and persistent issues across multiple U.S. detention centers.

An audit of unannounced inspections at 17 centers from 2020 to 2023 concluded that "ICE and facility staff have struggled to comply with aspects of detention standards, regardless of the administration in power."

Expansion of Immigration Detention

Krome is one of the 130 ICE detention centers in the United States, many operated by private contractors. Akima Infrastructure Protection manages the Krome facility under a $685 million contract. Concurrently, the Trump administration pushed for the expansion of the detention system.

ICE plans to utilize military bases as new detention centers, including a 30,000-bed project at Guantanamo Bay, which has faced legal and logistical hurdles. Congress recently approved a $430 million increase in ICE's budget to bolster detention and deportation measures.

Inmates Report Inhumane Conditions at Krome Detention Center

In addition to the women's testimonies highlighted by USA Today, videos circulated on social media have revealed the alleged inhumane conditions faced by migrants at the Krome Detention Center, located west of Miami-Dade County. The footage, purportedly recorded by an inmate, shows overcrowding, lack of access to basic services, and desperate pleas for help.

"We are at the Krome detention center here in Miami, Florida, we are kidnapped, we are in a deportation process, but we have been here for more than twenty days, some people for over a month, unable to communicate," a purported inmate narrated in one of the videos.

The recording shows dozens of men crammed into a small room, some sleeping on the floor and others on chairs, with insufficient space to move. The person filming discreetly claims, "There are dozens of Mexicans sleeping on the floor; please share, share."

The Department of Homeland Security responded to inquiries about the videos, stating that they are aware of the allegations and have initiated an investigation. "The safety and well-being of individuals in our custody is a priority for ICE. Some centers are experiencing overcrowding due to increased detentions," the federal agency expressed, as reported by Telemundo 51.

Human rights organizations have also raised alarms about the dire conditions. ICE acknowledged in a statement that some facilities are experiencing "temporary overcrowding," attributable to the recent increase in the detained population. The agency assured that it is taking measures to manage capacity, including transferring individuals to other facilities, expediting processes, and collaborating with state and local authorities.