A new report by advocacy groups Human Rights Watch, Americans for Immigrant Justice, and Sanctuary of the South has detailed a series of alleged abuses at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities in South Florida, including a disturbing incident at a downtown Miami federal detention center.
According to the report, released on July 21, 2025, migrants at the facility were shackled with their hands tied behind their backs and forced to kneel to eat food from styrofoam plates, a practice described as dehumanizing and likened to treating detainees “like dogs.”
The report, based on interviews with detainees, documents conditions at three overcrowded ICE-operated jails in South Florida since January 2025.
It highlights a specific incident where dozens of men were confined in a cramped holding cell for hours without access to food until approximately 7 p.m.
The detainees, shackled and unable to use their hands, were forced to eat while kneeling, with food placed on chairs in front of them.
These conditions, the report claims, are part of a broader pattern of mistreatment in ICE facilities across Florida, exacerbated since the inauguration of President Donald Trump in January 2025.
Advocacy groups assert that the documented abuses reflect a significant deterioration in conditions at federal immigration facilities, driven by the Trump administration’s aggressive push to increase detentions and deportations.
Katie Blankenship, an immigration attorney and co-founder of Sanctuary of the South, stated, “The anti-immigrant escalation and enforcement tactics under the Trump administration are terrorizing communities and ripping families apart, which is especially cruel in the state of Florida, which thrives because of its immigrant communities.”
She described the approach as “literally deadly,” warning of a human rights crisis with long-term consequences for the state and the nation.
The report also points to systemic issues in ICE detention centers, including overcrowding and inadequate care.
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Mass Criticism and Latest Data
Since January, ICE facilities in Florida have faced criticism for operating beyond capacity.
For example, the Krome Detention Center in Miami, designed for 580 beds, was reported to be holding approximately 1,700 detainees, leading to conditions where migrants were forced to sleep on floors or even toilets.
Additionally, posts on X have highlighted allegations of harsh treatment, including the use of rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades against detainees requesting basic necessities like water, food, and medication.
The broader context of these allegations includes a significant increase in ICE arrests and detentions nationwide.
A Guardian analysis from June 2025 revealed that 78% of ICE arrestees between October 2022 and November 2024 had either a misdemeanor conviction or no criminal conviction at all, contradicting claims that the agency primarily targets “criminals.”
As of June 1, 2025, ICE was detaining 51,302 people nationwide, the highest number since 2019, with facilities struggling to provide adequate food, medical care, or sleeping arrangements.
The situation in Florida has been further complicated by the controversial “Alligator Alcatraz” detention camp in the Everglades, which has drawn criticism for its inhumane conditions and environmental impact.
Democratic lawmakers, including Congressman Maxwell Frost, have decried the facility after reports surfaced that at least 250 of the 700 detainees held there had no criminal charges, despite claims that it was reserved for “the most vicious” offenders.
Environmental groups have also filed lawsuits to halt operations at the camp, citing damage to fragile ecosystems.
The advocacy groups behind the report are calling for immediate reforms to address overcrowding, improve detainee treatment, and ensure accountability within ICE facilities.
They argue that the current conditions violate basic human rights and demand urgent federal oversight.
As of now, ICE and the Department of Homeland Security have not publicly responded to the specific allegations in the July 21 report, though a DHS spokesperson previously denied claims of overcrowding and poor conditions in June 2025.
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