A newly released human rights report has revealed disturbing conditions at three immigration detention centers in Florida, alleging that detainees were denied medical care and subjected to degrading and overcrowded environments — with two deaths potentially linked to medical negligence.
Published on Monday, the 92-page report spotlights widespread mistreatment at the Krome North Service Processing Center, the Broward Transitional Center, and the Federal Detention Center, all located in or near Miami. Among the most serious claims are overcrowding, denial of mental and physical healthcare, and placing women in male-designated facilities without proper accommodations.
The findings, based on interviews with current and former detainees, family members, legal representatives, and data from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), paint a stark picture of how President Donald Trump’s mass deportation policy has strained the detention system beyond capacity.
“People in immigration detention are being treated as less than human,” said Belkis Wille, associate crisis and conflict director at Human Rights Watch — one of the report’s co-authors, alongside Americans for Immigrant Justice and Sanctuary of the South. “These are not isolated cases but signs of a fundamentally broken system rife with abuse.”
Medical Neglect and Deaths
In one tragic account, 44-year-old Haitian detainee Marie Ange Blaise suffered a fatal medical episode at the Broward Transitional Center in April. Fellow detainees shouted for help, but according to eyewitnesses, guards ignored their pleas. By the time medical responders arrived more than 30 minutes later, Blaise was unresponsive.
Another shocking case involved Maksym Chernyak, a 44-year-old Ukrainian man held at Krome. Despite experiencing chest pain, fever, and other symptoms, his repeated requests for medical attention were allegedly delayed. He was later found in severe distress, vomiting and defecating on himself before eventually being declared brain dead.
Overcrowding, Unsanitary Conditions, and Abuse
The report highlights that detainees were often held in spaces well beyond their intended capacity. At Krome, overcrowding led to shortages in basic hygiene supplies, bedding, and food. Some detainees were forced to sleep on floors or use buckets as makeshift toilets.
Women were processed and temporarily held in the male-only Krome facility, with some reporting that male detainees could see them using open toilets. Access to showers was reportedly denied.
Further allegations include the excessive use of force by staff, prolonged shackling, exposure to extreme temperatures, and threats against those requesting basic facilities. One detainee recalled being told by guards, “If you keep asking for a flushing toilet, we’ll give you a problem you won’t like.
Violations of Law and Human Rights
The report concludes that these conditions may violate both U.S. federal policies and international human rights standards. It also highlights how Trump’s intensified deportation drive — aimed at expanding detention capacity — is being pursued without proper infrastructure or oversight.
Since Trump resumed office on January 20, the number of people held in immigration detention has surged from 39,000 to nearly 57,000 by mid-July. The Wall Street Journal reported that the administration now aims to nearly double detention capacity to 100,000 by the end of the year, relying on hastily built tent camps on military and ICE properties.
This massive expansion follows the signing of a tax and spending bill that allocates $45 billion for new detention infrastructure. The Department of Homeland Security also plans to increase cooperation with states like Florida to open more facilities like “Alligator Alcatraz” — a controversial, state-funded site drawing criticism even before it begins operations.
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