ICE immigration enforcement in Florida is run out of the Miami Field Office, which oversees all arrests, detention, and deportations across the state, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands through its Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) division.1U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Miami Field Office – Miramar Sub Office Florida is one of the most active enforcement states in the country, and since early 2025, every one of the state’s 67 county jails has signed a 287(g) agreement with ICE, meaning local deputies and correctional officers are deputized to perform federal immigration functions inside the jail.2Florida Sheriffs Association. Florida Sheriffs Association Announces 287(g) Compliance in All County Jails For families trying to find someone, fight a case, or understand what the state’s new laws mean, the practical picture is set by that structure.
How a Florida Arrest Becomes an ICE Case
The usual pipeline into ICE custody in Florida now runs through the county jail. If you are booked on any criminal charge and cannot verify your immigration status, jail staff can run your information through federal immigration databases and place an ICE detainer on you. Governor DeSantis signed Senate Bill 2C in early 2025, giving local agencies the authority and resources to support federal enforcement, and every county has since joined 287(g).2Florida Sheriffs Association. Florida Sheriffs Association Announces 287(g) Compliance in All County Jails Under the program, deputized officers can question people about immigration status and lodge detainers directly.3U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Delegation of Immigration Authority Section 287(g) Immigration and Nationality Act
An ICE detainer (Form I-247) is a request, not a court order, and federal courts have held that a detainer alone carries no authority to hold someone beyond their state case. In Florida, however, jails that have signed intergovernmental service agreements with ICE will hold a person for up to 72 hours after the state case ends so ICE can take custody.4Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Florida Immigration Enforcement With 287(g) now universal in Florida, that transfer happens everywhere.
ERO also runs targeted operations outside the jail setting, often alongside state and local law enforcement rather than acting alone. The agency’s stated priorities focus on people with serious criminal convictions, gang affiliations, or outstanding deportation orders, though targeted operations often sweep in others encountered during the arrest.
Where ICE Holds People in Florida
Florida’s detention network includes federally owned processing centers, a privately managed contract facility, county jails that house ICE detainees, and a large state-run site.
- Krome North Service Processing Center (Miami): Federally owned, managed by contractor Akima Global Services, at 18201 SW 12th Street. Krome primarily houses male detainees and has an immigration court on-site for detained hearings.5U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Krome North Service Processing Center
- Broward Transitional Center (Pompano Beach): Operated by GEO Group at 3900 North Powerline Road.6U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Broward Transitional Center
- Glades County Detention Center (Moore Haven): A county jail holding ICE detainees under an intergovernmental service agreement.7U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Glades County Detention Center
- Everglades Detention Facility (Ochopee): Sometimes called “Alligator Alcatraz,” located on the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport property about 36 miles from Miami. Managed by the Florida Division of Emergency Management, with a reported capacity of roughly 3,000, it holds federal immigration detainees through a state agreement.
People in ICE custody are frequently moved between facilities, which is one reason locating someone can take several tries.
Finding Someone in ICE Custody
ICE’s Online Detainee Locator System (ODLS) is the free public tool for finding an adult currently in ICE detention.8U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Online Detainee Locator System You can search two ways:
- By Alien Registration Number (A-Number) and country of birth. The A-Number is a nine-digit ID; if the number you have is shorter, add zeros at the front. This is the recommended search.
- By exact first and last name plus country of birth. Spelling and hyphens must match the record exactly. Adding a date of birth helps narrow results.
ODLS does not return results for anyone under 18, and it only shows people currently in ICE custody or recently released.9U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Locating Individuals in Detention A recently arrested person may not appear right away, especially during initial processing or a transfer between facilities. If a search comes up empty, try again in a few hours and try both search methods.
Immigration Court, Bond, and Supervised Release
Immigration courts in Florida are run by the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), part of the Department of Justice, not ICE. There are three locations:10Executive Office for Immigration Review. Immigration Court Operational Status
- Miami Immigration Court (non-detained): One Riverview Square, 333 S. Miami Avenue, Suite 700, Miami, FL 33130.
- Miami Krome Immigration Court (detained): Inside Krome North Processing Center, 18201 SW 12th Street, Miami, FL 33194.
- Orlando Immigration Court: 500 N. Orange Avenue, Suite 1100, Orlando, FL 32801.11Executive Office for Immigration Review. Orlando Immigration Court
You can check case status online through EOIR or by calling 1-800-898-7180. The automated system may not reflect a new hearing until it has actually been scheduled, so written notices mailed by the court remain the official source for dates.12Executive Office for Immigration Review. Check Case Status
Who Can Get Bond, and How Much
Not everyone in ICE custody is bond-eligible. Federal law requires mandatory detention for people with certain criminal convictions, prior deportation orders, or terrorism-related grounds. If one of those categories applies, a judge cannot set a bond at all, regardless of community ties.
For those who are eligible, an immigration judge weighs two things: danger to the community and likelihood of appearing at future hearings. The federal minimum immigration bond is $1,500, but judges routinely set much higher amounts. Bonds of $5,000 to $15,000 are common, and complex cases or perceived flight risk can push the number well above that. Bond must be paid through an authorized surety or directly to ICE by cashier’s check or money order. A limited number of nonprofit bond funds operate in Florida.
Alternatives to Detention
Some people are released under ICE’s Intensive Supervision Appearance Program (ISAP) instead of being held. ISAP uses GPS ankle monitors, the SmartLINK smartphone app, or scheduled check-in calls, and deportation officers set and adjust the monitoring level case by case.13Department of Homeland Security. Intensive Supervision Appearance Program Fiscal Years 2017-2020 Missing a check-in, letting a GPS unit die, or ignoring contact attempts can trigger re-detention and damage the underlying case.
Visiting a Detainee and Sending Money
Family and friends can visit during each facility’s scheduled hours. Every adult visitor must present valid photo ID such as a driver’s license or unexpired passport, and facilities may run random background and warrant checks on visitors.14ICE. ICE/DRO Detention Standard – Visitation Minors accompanying an adult generally do not need separate ID. Call the facility before you go to confirm hours and rules, which vary.
Most facilities use a trust account system for commissary deposits and phone funds. At Krome, deposits can be made online through the Keefe Detainee Trust Account portal, by phone at 1-866-345-1884, or by mailing a U.S. Postal Service money order payable to ICE with the detainee’s A-Number written on it. Other money order types and cash are not accepted.15ICE. Deposit Process at Krome Other Florida facilities may use different providers, so confirm the method with the specific facility.
Florida State Laws That Add Exposure
Florida has passed its own immigration laws that go beyond cooperation with federal authorities. These matter because the state-level charges feed directly back into the 287(g) pipeline at the county jail.
Unauthorized Entry as a State Crime
Under Florida Statute 811.102, an unauthorized immigrant who is 18 or older and knowingly enters or attempts to enter Florida after evading federal immigration inspection commits a first-degree misdemeanor with a mandatory minimum of nine months in jail.16The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 811 – Unauthorized Aliens, Nationality, and Immigration A first-degree misdemeanor in Florida can carry up to one year in jail. A second violation is a third-degree felony with a mandatory minimum of one year and one day in prison; a third or subsequent violation is a third-degree felony with a mandatory minimum of two years. Third-degree felonies can carry up to five years.17The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 775.082 – Penalties, Applicability of Sentencing Structures, Limitations
Out-of-State Driver’s Licenses That Don’t Count Here
Florida does not issue driver’s licenses to unauthorized immigrants and, under Florida Statute 322.033, treats certain out-of-state licenses as invalid in Florida. The rule covers licenses that another state issued specifically to people who could not prove lawful presence, and licenses that look the same as standard licenses but carry markings indicating the holder did not prove lawful status.18The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 322.033 – Unauthorized Aliens and Undocumented Immigrants, Invalid Out-of-State Driver Licenses The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles publishes the list of affected out-of-state license classes. Driving on one of those licenses in Florida can turn a traffic stop into an immigration encounter, especially given 287(g) coverage statewide.
E-Verify for Employers
Private employers in Florida with 25 or more employees must run every new hire through the federal E-Verify system under SB 1718, enacted in 2023.19Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 448.095 – Employment Eligibility Public employers and their contractors have had the same requirement since 2021. A bill in the 2026 session, HB 197, would extend the mandate to all private employers regardless of size, with a proposed effective date of July 1, 2026.20Florida Senate. HB 197 Bill Analysis
Penalties escalate. If the state finds an employer failed to use E-Verify, it gives 30 days to fix the problem. Three violations within any 24-month period triggers a $1,000-per-day fine until compliance is shown, plus suspension of all business licenses.21Florida Senate. CS/CS/SB 1718 Bill Analysis and Fiscal Impact Statement – Immigration Knowingly hiring unauthorized workers runs on a separate track: a first violation brings one year of probation with quarterly reporting, repeat violations within 24 months can bring 30- to 60-day license suspensions depending on how many unauthorized workers were involved, and employing more than 50 unauthorized workers leads to full license revocation.