The death of several detained immigrants at the Krome North Processing Center in Miami has raised concerns and questions regarding the medical care of undocumented individuals in the custody of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
An investigative report by the Miami Herald indicates that between December and April, four individuals died in immigration detention centers in Florida, accounting for half of all fatalities in ICE custody so far in the 2025 fiscal year.
Journalists obtained over a hundred pages of autopsy reports, toxicological reports, and death certificates, as well as available medical histories of the deceased immigrants. Subsequently, nine medical experts analyzed the documentation and expressed that these deaths could have likely been prevented.
The Herald report presents the case of Maksym Chernyak, a 44-year-old Ukrainian who fled the war and was detained at the Krome North Service Processing Center.
Upon his arrival at the center, he suffered a stroke in February, and the officials took over 40 minutes to call emergency services. A physician confirmed on the same day that the man had irreversible brain damage. Two days later, he passed away.
Altaf Saadi, neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and associate professor of neurology at Harvard University, consulted by the press, stated that timeliness in that case was crucial.
"There was a neurological emergency —someone who was unresponsive after a seizure— and for 45 minutes, no medical professional activated 911,” he said.
The medical examination of Chernyak at Krome, obtained by the Herald, showed "normal" values when the Ukrainian entered the center, but with slightly elevated blood pressure, which increased over the following two weeks, indicative of hypertension, a probable cause of strokes.
Nonetheless, on the day of the stroke, he was treated for intoxication, despite having spent nearly a month in a controlled environment, without consuming any substances.
A family lawyer, Katie Blankenship, said that Chernyak's widow will file a wrongful death lawsuit.
"I am 100% sure that if it weren't for the conditions he was in, if it weren't for all this injustice, he would still be alive," said Oksana Tarasiuk about her late partner.
More deaths in custody
Another case mentioned was that of a 29-year-old Honduran, detained in Krome, who died due to "complications from a schizoaffective disorder", according to the coroners' reports.
In December, Genry Ruiz-Guillén was sent to multiple hospitals due to increasingly severe symptoms.
After more than a month at Krome, where he experienced seizures and episodes of confusion, he was taken to three different places due to his lack of improvement.
In one of the hospitals, he was diagnosed with "rhabdomyolysis": a breakdown of muscle tissues that poses a life-threatening risk. However, "throughout the hospitalization he was described as aggressive, agitated, and restless," so a treatment for those symptoms was prescribed.
The toxicological report revealed that there were traces of three antipsychotics and one antidepressant in his body, prescribed for psychiatric treatment.
According to experts, the cause of death recorded by the coroner - complications from a schizoaffective disorder - makes no sense, as a psychiatric disorder can lead to hallucinations, delusions, depression, and other symptoms, but not death.
"I'm furious," said Jim Recht, psychiatrist and professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. "Let's say a person has schizoaffective disorder and is agitated, and you shoot them and kill them. You could say that the cause of death was complications from schizoaffective disorder."
The autopsy describes multiple complications, such as a possible overcorrection of his potassium levels or abnormal heartbeats caused by medications for mental health conditions. The explanations of the causes provided in the forensic report remain insufficient to clarify why the young man died.
In the case of the Ukrainian as well as the Honduran, the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner's Office determined that both died from "natural" causes, but the investigation by the Miami Herald shows that the medical care provided to the immigrants was quite "questionable."
The report, which reveals the deficiencies in the care of detainees, also points out that the conditions in Krome are critical: the rooms are so packed with undocumented individuals that they practically have to sleep standing up.
The most recent case of death in ICE custody was recorded at the end of April, when a Haitian woman died at the Broward detention center in Pompano Beach, according to a report by Telemundo 51.
Marie Ange Blaise, 44 years old, died for reasons that have yet to be clarified. In the statement regarding her death, they said: "ICE remains committed to ensuring that all individuals in its custody reside in safe, secure, and humane environments."
In a press release from March, ICE stated: "One of the agency's top priorities is providing healthcare to detained foreigners. The national detention standards of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement require that the centers provide comprehensive medical, dental, and mental health care from the moment foreigners arrive at the center and throughout their entire time in ICE custody. Many foreigners may not have received recent or reliable medical treatment for pre-existing conditions prior to entering ICE custody. For some individuals, this may be their first access to comprehensive healthcare."
Frequently Asked Questions about Deaths and Conditions in ICE Detention Centers in Florida
What has raised concern about the deaths at the Krome detention center?
The deaths of immigrants in ICE custody at the Krome North Service Processing Center have raised concerns due to inadequate medical care and the critical conditions in which detainees are held. Between December and April, four individuals died in these facilities, accounting for half of all deaths in ICE custody for the fiscal year 2025. Autopsy reports and medical experts suggest that some of these deaths could have been prevented with more timely and appropriate medical attention.
What are the conditions of the detainees at the Krome center?
The conditions at the Krome detention center have been described as critical and inhumane. Detainees face extreme overcrowding, lack of access to drinking water and sufficient food, and systematic medical neglect. Some reports indicate that detainees sleep on the floor, lack access to showers, and receive little more than peanut butter sandwiches as their only source of food. The facilities are operating at nearly three times their original capacity, creating an atmosphere of tension and insecurity.
What actions has ICE taken in response to the criticism regarding conditions at Krome?
In response to the criticism, ICE has begun the construction of temporary structures such as tents and prefabricated modules to house recently detained migrants. Despite these measures, the conditions remain a concern for both detainees and center staff. Human rights organizations and members of the migrant community are calling for immediate action to improve treatment and conditions at Krome.
What legal implications do these deaths and conditions have for ICE?
The deaths and reported conditions at the Krome center have led to the filing of negligence lawsuits. The family of Maksym Chernyak, a Ukrainian immigrant who died in custody, has announced a wrongful death lawsuit, arguing that his death was a direct consequence of the conditions at the center. These legal actions may increase pressure on ICE to improve conditions and ensure humane treatment of detainees.
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