Human Rights Watch Documents Degrading Conditions in Three Florida ICE Detention Centers

Human Rights Watch released a 92-page report condemning three Florida immigration detention centers—Krome North Service Processing Center, Broward Transitional Center, and the Federal Detention Center—for substandard and inhumane conditions. The report documents overcrowding, unsanitary cells with feces-covered toilets, freezing processing cells with no bedding, and detainees being shackled during meals and transfers, leading to degrading and dehumanizing treatment. Medical neglect in these facilities has been linked to at least two deaths, including that of Maksym Chernyak, a Ukrainian detainee denied proper care. These issues are attributed to a sharp increase in detainees following President Trump's intensified immigration enforcement policies, with some centers operating at three times their intended capacity. The Federal Bureau of Prisons defended its mission to maintain safety and security, though the report and advocacy groups stress that abuses are systemic and by design rather than due to resource shortages. The findings highlight the broader consequences of the administration's hardline migration policies and the urgent need for reform in detention conditions.