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Republican Rep. Carlos Gimenez rejected seeing harsh conditions in a Miami detention center after migrants held there claimed so earlier this month.
“There’s nothing going on in there that would make me as an American not proud to be an American, and ashamed of what’s going on there,” Gimenez told press after touring the Federal Detention Center in downtown Miami.
The lawmaker went on to say he did not see any “deplorable” conditions. He did confirm the April incident that catalyzed some of the claims, which were reported by the Miami Herald and catalyzed a conversation about the conditions in the facility.
The report in question quoted six detainees who told the outlet that officers launched crowd-control grenades and shot what looked either rubber bullets into a room with about 50 people.
The incident took place after detainees staged a protest over lack of water, food and medication. They also described broken toilets and air conditioning, as well as out-of-service elevators, day-long lockdowns and lack of outdoor space. They claimed to begin overflowing toilets to draw attention to their demands before officers responded. Detainees were then transferred back to an ICE detention center but at least two filed lawsuits over the issue. 30 others signed it, saying there when it happened.
Gimenez said he would tour the detention center following the report. He did not speak to detainees but said he saw them playing games, watching TV and eating meals. “They knew who I was, and nobody said ‘oh wow, this is really bad.'”
“This is not the Ritz-Carlton. It’s a detention center. But there’s nothing inhumane that’s going on,” Gimenez added. He also gave another account of the April incident, saying officials told him they had to use force against detainees after they began refusing orders. Officials changed “some of their procedures” after the incident, he added.
Gimenez is also set to tour Krome North Service Processing Center, which has also been accused of inhumane conditions.
In fact, earlier this month tensions escalated when a group of Cuban detainees staged a protest in the facility’s recreational yard to oppose deportation to third countries including Libya, El Salvador and South Sudan. Dozens of detainees formed a large “SOS” sign, which was captured from the air by local media outlets.
Located 22 miles west of downtown Miami, Krome has been the subject of national scrutiny in recent months over reports of unsafe conditions and severe overcrowding.
According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) data released May 12, about 800 people were detained at the facility. However, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who toured Krome on May 29, said the number was closer to 1,100, with tents built to control the overflow.
Earlier this year, two deaths were reported at the facility. The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office ruled both deaths “natural,” but a Miami Herald investigation raised concerns about medical care provided at the facility.
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