DHS Seeks New Immigration Detention Facility in Miami Area

Yareliz Mendez Zamora from the American Friends Service Committee has noted a rise in arrivals at the Miramar Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility. This site sees weekly visits from Mendez as she aids families with immigration cases. On Wednesday, July 29, 2026, she was present outside the facility.

The Department of Homeland Security issued a procurement request earlier this month for a new immigration detention site near Miami. They require a contractor-operated facility with at least 700 beds within 50 miles of the ICE Miami Field Office at 865 SW 78 Ave. in Plantation. This request reflects a broader search for similar facilities across the U.S. to house individuals in ICE custody.

Along with detaining individuals, the site must offer medical and mental health services, transportation, guard services, food service, and detention management. According to a report by Local 10 News, the contractor will provide all necessary personnel, equipment, supplies, and services.

DHS is also searching for facilities with at least 1,800 beds in the Philadelphia area and 1,500 beds in both Seattle and Denver. This follows the closure of the Alligator Alcatraz detention center in the Everglades amid changes in ICE enforcement plans.

The Trump administration plans to escalate ICE activities after the end of Haiti’s Temporary Protected Status designation. Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court approved DHS plans to terminate TPS for over 300,000 Haitians, although legal battles persist in lower courts.

Immigration advocates in regions including South Florida and New York express concerns over heightened ICE actions, necessitating more detention spaces. On Wednesday, protests occurred outside the Miramar ICE facility, criticizing increased arrests and the role of local authorities in federal immigration enforcement. American Friends Service Committee and Florida Immigrant Coalition activists voiced worries about escalated activities at the site.

“We’re not sure what that’s about; it’s unusual,” said Billy Botsch of the American Friends Service Committee.

Portable toilets placed in the rear parking lot imply inadequate interior facilities, and observations suggest changes in processing methodologies. The use of temporary setups for processing and the absence of the standard garage entry raise questions.

An ICE field office did not comment, and a DHS spokesperson stated the agency avoids discussing future operations but ensures ongoing enforcement nationwide.

Yareliz Mendez Zamora notes that families seem to be transferred to hotels before deportation. “Families are held for a short period before moving to a hotel, where they lack contact capabilities,” she explained. “Sometimes, we don’t hear from them for over 24 hours before deportation occurs.”

The Miami Herald’s Morgan Mullings contributed to this report, and Jacqueline Charles has extensively covered Haiti and the Caribbean for the Miami Herald. A Pulitzer Prize finalist for her reporting on the 2010 Haiti earthquake, she received the 2018 Maria Moors Cabot Prize.