Activists gathered this Wednesday at the ICE processing center in Miramar, Florida, pressing for greater oversight of the facility after images surfaced showing what they described as unsanitary conditions.
Photographs Released by Lawmakers
Democratic legislators published photographs reportedly obtained from internal whistleblowers. The images depict portable toilets, garbage accumulating outside the facility, and individuals using a water hose to brush their teeth. The lawmakers accompanied the images with a report questioning conditions at ICE facilities in Florida.
Allegations of Prolonged Stays
Advocates have alleged that individuals are being held for days in overcrowded conditions at the Miramar site. The Department of Homeland Security has said the Miramar location functions as a processing center rather than a detention facility, where undocumented individuals are processed before transfer to detention centers. Organizations including the American Friends Service Committee have questioned why people remain at the processing center for extended periods.
Miami Talks