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Various operations by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were carried out since Friday at different locations in Miami-Dade, especially in the heart of Little Havana.
In the last 48 hours, multiple videos have circulated on social media showing handcuffed men, black vehicles with flashing lights, and uniformed agents checking documents.
"Agents from the Florida Highway Patrol and federal agencies conducted random traffic stops and detained workers from various trades, including a Nicaraguan who is in the asylum process," reported the channel Telemundo.
In the videos, several residents in the area shouted at the ICE members: “They're people who are working.”
The testimonies of residents point to the presence of federal vehicles and agents from the Florida Highway Patrol in areas such as Little Havana, Coral Gables, Hialeah, Doral, and Miami Beach.
“Through Little Havana, you can't even go outside. There are Border Patrol cars everywhere, I've been home for two days,” shared a resident.
According to witnesses, the agents would have detained workers, gardeners, and construction workers.
These actions occur within the context of a more aggressive federal policy under the Trump Administration, which has intensified the persecution of immigrants with criminal backgrounds, but has also faced criticism for arresting workers without a criminal history.
On the iconic Calle Ocho in Little Havana, the topic dominates conversations in restaurants and bodegas.
"Everyone knows someone who could be arrested," commented a Cuban resident of the area.
Organizations for immigrant defense, such as Americans for Immigrant Justice and Florida Immigrant Coalition, have urged ICE to clarify the nature of their operations and to respect the due process of those undergoing asylum or status adjustment procedures.
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