On June 14, 2025, a large wildfire broke out near the Krome Processing Center, an immigration detention facility operated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in western Miami-Dade County. The fire, which covered approximately 81 acres, forced the closure of a stretch of Krome Avenue between Southwest 8th Street and Kendall Drive. Local authorities, including the Miami-Dade Fire and Rescue Department and the Florida Forest Service, worked together to contain the blaze.
ICE reported that, at this time, there have been no evacuations or injuries, and that detainees are being held safely inside the facility as a precautionary measure. The federal agency is maintaining constant surveillance of the wildfire in coordination with local authorities.
Precarious conditions at the Krome center
The Krome Processing Center has been criticized by human rights organizations due to the inhumane conditions and overcrowding faced by detainees.
Originally designed to house 600 people, the center has now housed up to 1,700 detainees.
The fire forced the closure of a section of Krome Avenue
This has led to reports of lack of access to adequate medical care, food and water shortages, and unsanitary conditions.
In April 2025, three detainees were reported to have died in ICE custody at Krome, which has intensified concerns about the safety and well-being of immigrant detainees.
Protests and calls for action
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On June 5, 2025, a group of immigrant detainees at Krome formed an “SOS” visible from the air as a peaceful protest to draw attention to the deplorable conditions at the facility.
Florida Congresswoman Frederica Wilson visited the center and denounced the conditions as unacceptable.
He urged a thorough review of detention policies and the closure of facilities that do not meet basic humanitarian standards.
The combination of natural disasters, such as the wildfire, and humanitarian crises in detention centers like Krome underscores the urgent need for reforms in U.S. immigration and detention policies.
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