ICE field office in Miramar turns into overcrowded detention hub, families say

Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Miramar field office, originally intended for short-term immigration check-ins, is now described by families and NGOs as a de facto detention center where dozens are crammed into bare concrete cells for up to a week. A sister of a Honduran mother of two recounted a five-day stay in a cell with roughly 50 occupants, during which she suffered an anxiety attack, received minimal food, no shower, and was denied private legal counsel.

ICE’s self-issued waiver permits up to 72-hour confinement, contradicting its own 2025 standards that cap holding time at 12 hours. Visits by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz revealed floors lined with people and no privacy. Medical emergencies have risen sharply, with 911 calls increasing dramatically, while detainees lack access to prescription drugs and on-site medical staff.

Phone calls are frequently monitored or cut off when legal topics arise, leaving many without confidential counsel. After five days, the detainee was transferred to a facility in El Paso and later to Spokane, while her family faces high legal costs.