Claudia Carolina Rodriguez Caglianone, a 29-year-old immigrant from Venezuela, was released from the Broward Transition Center on Monday evening after being detained by immigration officials last month at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. The recent graduate of St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens described her detention experience as traumatic and dehumanizing during a news conference alongside U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Rodriguez Caglianone stated that while she is now free, her heart remains with the individuals still locked inside South Florida immigration facilities.
Conditions Described as 'Animal in a Zoo'
Rodriguez Caglianone entered the United States on a tourist visa in 2017 and applied for asylum within six months. She was granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in 2023, but her asylum case remains pending. After being picked up by immigration agents while moments away from boarding a flight to North Carolina, she was transferred between two facilities: an ICE office in Miramar and the Broward Transition Center in Pompano Beach.
Describing her time at the Miramar facility as comparable to being "an animal in a zoo," Rodriguez Caglianone reported that detainees were forced to sleep on floors shared with dozens of other women. She alleged that food was sometimes expired or moldy and that basic hygiene, such as bathing or changing clothes, was restricted. Although officials claimed the Miramar site is a check-in facility designed for short-term holds up to 72 hours, she remained there for eight days.
Medical Neglect and Family Separation
The detainee highlighted severe issues regarding medical care within the detention system. She stated that detainees had to submit written requests on paper for any medical attention, with responses often taking one or two days. This delay resulted in individuals suffering from pain waiting at least 24 hours for assistance.
"I personally knew two people who, sadly, lost their babies while in detention... the stress, the agony, and the lack of medical resources," Rodriguez Caglianone said during her testimony regarding women who suffered miscarriages due to inadequate care. She also mentioned a woman battling breast cancer who was unable to receive chemotherapy treatments while detained.
Rodriguez Caglianone emphasized that communication with the outside world was severely limited, preventing detainees from contacting family or lawyers effectively. This lack of support contributed significantly to the psychological distress experienced by those held in custody.
Political Response and Advocacy
U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who represents Florida’s 25th Congressional District, advocated for Rodriguez Caglianone's release after making an unannounced visit to the Broward Transition Center. The congresswoman described the Pompano Beach facility as "well run" and cleaner than Miramar but noted that detainees were still treated like criminals without a fair immigration process.
Wasserman Schultz stated that Rodriguez Caglianone’s account directly contradicts official claims from detention facilities, which assert that detainees receive regular medical attention. The representative criticized the recent termination of TPS for Haitians and Venezuelans as an act of cruelty that worsens the situation for immigrants awaiting court dates.
Now free, Rodriguez Caglianone expressed her desire to be a voice for those still undergoing immigration detention. "I am no longer afraid," she said, emphasizing that speaking out is the right thing to do not just for herself but for all those people inside the centers. The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to requests for comment regarding these allegations.
