Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava has formally requested an urgent explanation from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) following the deaths of five individuals held in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at detention centers located in Florida. The fatalities, which have occurred within 2025, have prompted the Mayor to voice significant concern regarding the conditions, care, and oversight provided within these federal facilities operating within her county and state.
Mayor Expresses Deep Concern Over Detainee Deaths
In a direct communication addressed to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Mayor Levine Cava articulated her “deep and growing concern” over what she described as an “alarming number of deaths and medical emergencies” transpiring within Florida’s immigration detention landscape. The Mayor’s letter underscores the gravity of the situation and signals a strong demand for immediate federal attention, transparency, and accountability. The five deaths specifically cited by the Mayor occurred across three separate federal detention sites within Florida, raising critical questions about the standards of care, health services, and overall safety protocols in place for individuals in ICE custody.
The deaths of individuals held in immigration detention facilities often draw significant scrutiny from human rights advocates, legal organizations, and public officials. These facilities are intended to securely house individuals during immigration proceedings, but concerns about living conditions, access to adequate medical and mental healthcare, and oversight mechanisms are frequently raised. Mayor Levine Cava’s intervention highlights that these concerns are not limited to advocacy groups but are also prompting formal demands for action from local governmental leaders whose communities host these federal operations.
Fatalities Across Multiple Florida ICE Facilities
The fatalities detailed by Mayor Levine Cava pinpoint specific facilities that house individuals under ICE custody, indicating that the issue is not confined to a single location. According to the Mayor’s communication, three of the five deaths recorded this year, 2025, took place at the Krome Detention Center. This facility, situated in southwest Miami-Dade County, is a major hub for immigration processing and detention in the Southeastern United States. Its scale and the number of individuals it processes make any reported deaths particularly concerning.
The remaining two deaths occurred at the Broward Transitional Center and the Federal Detention Center (FDC) in Miami, with one fatality reported at each location during 2025. The FDC in Miami primarily houses federal pretrial detainees and short-term offenders but also holds individuals in ICE custody. The Broward Transitional Center is often used for individuals awaiting deportation or case resolution. The fact that deaths have been reported across these distinct types of facilities – a large processing center, a transitional center, and a federal prison setting also used for ICE – suggests that the challenges may be widespread within the state’s ICE detention infrastructure.
Demand for Comprehensive Federal Accountability
To fully understand the circumstances surrounding these tragic deaths and the broader health and safety situation within Florida’s ICE facilities, Mayor Levine Cava has formally requested a comprehensive, detailed report from DHS. This report, as stipulated by the Mayor, should encompass information on all deaths that have occurred in ICE custody throughout 2025, not limited solely to the five highlighted in her letter, suggesting a desire for a complete picture of detainee mortality within the year.
Crucially, the Mayor’s request mandates the inclusion of full medical investigations for each fatality. Medical investigations are critical for determining the specific causes of death, evaluating the timeline and adequacy of medical care provided to the deceased individuals, and identifying any potential failures in health screening, treatment, or emergency response. Beyond individual case reviews, Mayor Levine Cava is also pressing for information on the measures that are being implemented or considered by federal authorities to address potential “systemic errors” within the detention system. This focus on “systemic errors” indicates a profound concern that the deaths may not be isolated incidents but could point to underlying, pervasive issues in policy implementation, operational procedures, staffing levels, healthcare access, or facility conditions that require structural reform. The request for identifying and rectifying these errors signifies a push for long-term solutions to prevent future tragedies.
Spike in Emergency Calls Signals Potential Crisis
Adding significant weight to the Mayor’s concerns is alarming data regarding the volume of emergency calls originating from one of the facilities. The Mayor’s letter highlighted a stark and troubling increase in emergency calls recorded from the Krome Detention Center. Data specifically shows that in June 2025, a total of 32 emergency calls were placed from the Krome facility to emergency services. This number represents a dramatic increase when compared to the same period in the previous year, June 2024, when only five emergency calls were recorded from the same location.
This nearly seven-fold increase in emergency calls within a one-year span, specifically comparing June 2025 to June 2024, serves as a critical indicator of potential strain on resources, possible deterioration of living conditions, or an escalation in the frequency and severity of health and safety incidents occurring within the Krome facility. Emergency calls from such facilities can relate to a wide range of incidents, including medical emergencies, security issues, or disturbances. A substantial surge strongly suggests an increased level of crisis situations requiring external intervention. The correlation between this spike in distress signals and the fact that Krome has accounted for three of the five deaths cited this year is likely a central piece of evidence fueling the Mayor’s urgent call for a thorough federal investigation into the facility’s operations and conditions. The data point underscores the practical, on-the-ground manifestations of the “alarming number of deaths and medical emergencies” cited in her formal communication to DHS.
Navigating Federal Authority Within Local Boundaries
The Mayor’s intervention highlights the complex jurisdictional dynamic inherent in immigration detention. While immigration policy and enforcement, including the operation of detention facilities, fall exclusively under federal purview, these sites are physically located within local communities. This geographic reality means that local governments and their constituents are directly impacted by the operations and conditions of these facilities. Mayor Levine Cava’s action positions her as a key local official demanding accountability and transparency from the federal government regarding the human cost of detention occurring within her county and state.
The direct request to Secretary Kristi Noem, the head of the Department of Homeland Security which oversees ICE, emphasizes the level at which the Mayor is seeking answers and systemic change. The demand for a detailed report and insights into measures addressing systemic errors signifies a push for meaningful reform beyond superficial reviews. It reflects a local leader using her platform to advocate for vulnerable populations housed in federal facilities in her area.
The Path Forward: Awaiting Federal Response
The response from the Department of Homeland Security to Mayor Daniella Levine Cava’s urgent request for a detailed report and explanation will be crucial in shedding light on the actual conditions within these facilities and the specific circumstances leading to the five deaths in 2025. Transparency from federal authorities regarding detainee health, safety, and mortality rates is essential not only to address the specific concerns raised by the Mayor and local communities but also to fulfill obligations of oversight and ensure the well-being of individuals held in federal custody.
Mayor Levine Cava’s proactive stance underscores the critical importance of external oversight and accountability for federal facilities, particularly those housing vulnerable individuals navigating complex legal processes. Her demand for comprehensive medical investigations into the deaths and the identification and remediation of potential systemic errors sets a clear expectation for a thorough, effective, and reform-oriented response from DHS and ICE. The compelling data point regarding the surge in emergency calls from Krome in June 2025 compared to June 2024 serves as powerful evidence suggesting a potentially deteriorating situation that warrants immediate and comprehensive review by federal authorities. The focus now shifts to Washington D.C., awaiting the federal government’s detailed explanation and proposed actions in response to the urgent concerns raised by Miami-Dade County’s top elected official regarding the cluster of deaths in Florida ICE custody in 2025.
