19 Detainees Join Hunger Strike at Miami ICE Facility

Nineteen men appeared on a video call within ten minutes on Wednesday to announce they had stopped eating at the ICE Krome Center in Miami. The hunger strike, which now involves at least 20 detainees, is a direct response to what inmates describe as extreme conditions and a lack of basic medical care. The facility has been under scrutiny for months as hundreds of people wait for their immigration cases to be resolved.

The strike follows a pattern of complaints that have persisted for months. Detainees report overcrowding, spoiled food, and insufficient medical attention. A recent report from the ICE Office of Inspector General acknowledged that the rights of inmates were violated in eight specific categories. Despite these findings, the situation inside the center has deteriorated to the point where inmates are using their hunger as a primary tool for protest.

Lázaro Martínez, a Cuban migrant, provided a stark example of the medical gaps during the video call. He stated that he is diabetic and has gone a week without insulin, causing his glucose levels to rise above 600. He described the situation as an abuse. Another detainee, who did not give his name, complained that he has not received his prescribed diet for a week. These claims align with broader reports of hygiene failures and medication shortages.

Outside the facility, advocacy groups have mobilized. The Florida Immigrant Coalition and other organizations gathered at the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations office in Miramar, Florida, on Wednesday. They demanded an immediate response to the detainees' complaints, an independent investigation into detention conditions, and access to proper medical care. The group specifically criticized the deportation of Cubans to Africa, a destination that has become a point of contention for families.

The fear of deportation to Africa weighs heavily on families outside the walls. Anisley Cortes, whose husband is detained at Krome, said officials told her that neither Cuba nor Mexico would accept him. She was informed that Africa could be his final destination. Her husband, who suffers from diabetes and hypertension, has experienced three cases of necrotizing pancreatitis in the last five months. His triglyceride levels are ten times higher than the recommended threshold.

Cortes described a chaotic sequence of events last week. She was told her husband was being released and traveled from Orlando to Miami to pick him up. Instead, he was taken to Alexandria, Louisiana, for deportation. He was eventually removed from the flight because officials claimed they did not have all his medications. He temporarily disappeared from the ICE tracking system before she reached him by phone.

Iveth Domínguez, the wife of another detainee, shared a similar level of anxiety. Her husband has been incarcerated for 13 months and uses a wheelchair due to hernias, diabetes, and hypertension. She noted that he developed diabetes while in custody. He has been hospitalized more than 10 times during his detention but has not received consistent medical attention or the correct doses of insulin.

Both women are part of a growing network of families who are documenting the conditions inside the center. They fear that the hunger strike will lead to retaliation, such as placement in what inmates call the 'hole,' a disciplinary area. The detainees have asked their families to publicize their plight. They argue that the current state of the facility is unsustainable and that their health is declining daily.

The next steps for the detainees are unclear, but the hunger strike is expected to continue unless conditions improve. Families are monitoring the ICE tracking application daily, looking for updates on their loved ones. The tension inside the center remains high, with inmates chanting for freedom during the video call and reporting that they feel trapped in a system that ignores their medical needs.