A comprehensive and stark report prepared by Human Rights Watch (HWR), in collaboration with Americans for Immigrant Justice and Sanctuary of the South, has highlighted a severe decline in the human rights of migrants detained in Florida since the beginning of Donald Trump's second term.
Based on 17 interviews with detainees, seven family members, 14 attorneys, and data inspection, the document outlines degrading treatment, medical negligence, overcrowding, and psychological reprisals in three centers: Krome North, Broward Transition Center (BTC) and Federal Detention Center (FDC) in Miami.
Alligator Alcatraz is not included in the report, as it was opened less than a month ago. However, the practices at Alligator are similar to those described in the impressive HWR report.
One of the most shocking incidents occurred at the Miami Federal Detention Center, where a group of detainees were handcuffed with their hands tied behind their backs and forced to kneel to eat from disposable plates, without chairs or tables.
“We had to eat like animals”, Pedro, one of the interviewed immigrants, recounted.
Overcrowding, negligence, and abuse
Since January, when Donald Trump began his second term and toughened immigration policies with Executive Order 14159 and the Laken Riley Act, detentions have increased dramatically.
The daily average of detainees skyrocketed from 37,500 in 2024 to over 56,000 in June 2025, with more than 70% of them having no criminal record.
Florida, with over 76% of its law enforcement agencies partnered with ICE through 287(g) agreements, has become one of the epicenters of this offensive.
The three prisons studied in the report operate above their capacity, and Krome has even reached up to three times its operational limit.
The report documents the use of buses to detain individuals for more than 24 hours without food, water, or access to restrooms.
"The bus strongly smelled of feces," reported a man.
Others described having spent up to 12 days packed into freezing rooms without bedding or warmth, known as "the icebox."
Institutional violence and death
In April, at the FDC, a riot police team charged against immigrants protesting the lack of medical attention for a man who was coughing up blood.
The staff turned off the surveillance camera, according to reports. Several detainees were injured after being beaten, and one suffered a break in a finger.
In addition to reports of physical violence, there is a lack of medical attention for chronic illnesses such as HIV, hypertension, and gallstones, which are systematically ignored.
In Krome, a woman was sent back after emergency surgery without medication; another patient with a hernia waited three weeks for care.
The report links these practices to at least two deaths: Maksym Chernyak, a 44-year-old Ukrainian; and Marie Ange Blaise, a 44-year-old Haitian detained in BTC, both of whom died after not receiving timely medical attention.
Women processed in a male facility like Krome were forced to use bathrooms in view of men, with no privacy and no access to adequate medical care.
Some were returned to cold cells after surgeries without receiving the prescribed medications.
A system that punishes suffering
In addition to physical violence and the lack of medical attention, the report highlights the systematic neglect regarding mental health.
People who sought psychological help were placed in isolation as punishment. "If you cry, you are isolated for weeks. So people stay silent," recounted a detained woman.
Those who seek mental help are punished with weeks of isolation.
A detainee reportedly self-harmed and was held without medical or psychological attention, according to the report.
Access to lawyers is limited, and some migrants are pressured to sign deportation documents without understanding their content or having translation or legal representation.
Urgent call to action
The organizations signing the report demand an end to the 287(g) agreements and the widespread use of immigration detention, urging ICE to implement humanitarian alternatives, ensure access to medical and legal care, and respect basic human rights.
"The fast, chaotic, and cruel approach to arresting and imprisoning people is literally deadly,” warned Katie Blankenship, co-founder of Sanctuary of the South.
"It is causing a human rights crisis that will plague this state and the country for years," he concluded.
Frequently Asked Questions about Abuses in Migrant Detention Centers in Florida
What reports of abuse were documented in the migrant detention centers in Florida?
The Human Rights Watch report documents abuses such as degrading treatment, medical neglect, overcrowding, and psychological reprisals in the Krome North detention centers, the Broward Transitional Center (BTC), and the Federal Detention Center (FDC) in Miami. Detainees have been forced to eat under undignified conditions, have faced medical neglect, and have suffered institutional violence.
What are the conditions like in the detention center "Alligator Alcatraz"?
The conditions in "Alligator Alcatraz" are described as inhumane and unhealthy. Migrants face extreme heat, overcrowding, lack of access to basic health and hygiene services, and exposure to hazardous environmental conditions, such as large numbers of virus-carrying mosquitoes.
What has caused the increase in the number of arrests in Florida since 2024?
The increase in the number of detainees is related to the stricter immigration policies implemented during Donald Trump's second term, including executive order 14159 and the Laken Riley law. These policies have driven an increase in detentions, causing centers to operate well above their capacity.
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