The Miami-Dade police arrested 31 people this Saturday during a protest in front of the Krome Detention Center against the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), local news outlets reported.
The protesters marched from the Alligator Alcatraz detention center in the Everglades to the Krome center, where they blocked the entrance, demanding the closure of that facility and the release of the immigrants detained there.
The participants in the protest carried photographs of individuals who died in the custody of the federal agency and signs that read: “ICE kidnapped my neighbor.”
The Miami-Dade County Sheriff's Office (MDSO) reported that agents made the arrests after several individuals blocked the entrance to Krome and refused to leave despite repeated requests, according to a report from Telemundo 51.
The attendees of the demonstration, organized by Sunrise Movement, denounced the cruel and inhumane treatment that the agency gives to immigrants, according to an official statement from the organization.
"ICE is a criminal organization that terrorizes ordinary people on behalf of fascist billionaires. They have no right to abduct our neighbors, and it is time for every American to stand up to their intimidation tactics," stated Carly Shaffer, an organizer for Sunrise Movement.
"As young people, we refuse to accept a future in which our friends and family can disappear without warning," said Manu Guerrero, organizer of Sunrise Miami. "We are acting because our communities deserve safety and the freedom to live without fear. We will not stop until our loved ones are safe and sound at home, where they belong."
According to the report from Telemundo 51, the authorities claimed that, “while they fully support the right to peaceful expression, it is necessary to ensure security and access to critical facilities.”
The protesters were charged with trespassing and confined at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. The television station WLRN reported that several were released after posting bail and are awaiting a court appearance.
The administration of President Donald Trump has been conducting an offensive against illegal immigration since January, with arrests and mass deportations of immigrants.
In these 10 months, a significant increase has been recorded in the number of people detained in ICE detention centers, including Krome, the largest in Florida, reported WLRN.
According to data from the American Immigration Council, 2025 was the deadliest year for immigrants detained by ICE since 2004. In the last fiscal year, ending on September 30, 23 immigrants died in federal custody. Since then, two more individuals have lost their lives in their facilities.
A Senate investigation in the United States uncovered last month dozens of credible reports of medical neglect and poor conditions in immigrant detention centers across the country, reported WLRN.
Authorities and officials from ICE have rejected allegations of mistreatment and inadequate conditions in those centers.
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