Photo: María Bilbao/AFSC
Miramar Circle of Protection
Throughout February, the Miramar Circle of Protection observed a noticeable shift in check-in outcomes at the Miramar, Florida ICE facility. The majority of individuals we accompanied were issued I-220B Orders of Supervision, with check-in dates scheduled approximately one year out. In cases where individuals had upcoming immigration court hearings, shorter follow-up dates, such as two months or four months, appeared to align directly with those court timelines.
While this temporary pattern of longer check-in intervals may appear positive, we remain cautious. Local law enforcement agencies continue operating under 287(g) agreements, and enforcement practices are evolving. Detentions have not disappeared; they may simply be occurring through different mechanisms. We will continue documenting trends, accompanying families, and sharing updates to ensure our community remains informed and supported.
Support the Circle! If you’d like to support the Miramar Circle of Protection, you can donate here. Snacks, juices, and toys are always needed and deeply appreciated.
Florida policy
In February, AFSC continued to testify against harmful bills, strategize with policy partners in Tallahassee, and support mobilizations to our capital! This year, we were a part of Youth Power at the Capitol, a three-day mobilization spearheaded by Florida Student Power Network. Over 100 youth from different organizations joined us to advocate for a Florida that invests in our all of our youth, regardless of where they come from, and listen to youth issues and endorse actual solutions.
As a result of powerful testimony, we protected dual enrollment for immigrant youth living in Florida. We also spoke at an Interfaith day at the Capitol, where we stood in solidarity with different faiths urging our elected officials to stop bills like SB 1632, which targets non-profit organizations and leaves them vulnerable to being declared domestic terrorists. This year, over 1,000 bills were introduced but few were moving in both chambers. Many of the anti-immigrant bills we were extremely concerned about stopped moving, but anti-democracy and pro-surveillance bills were quickly going forward. The feuding between Governor DeSantis and the Speaker of the House, Danny Perez, also made national news.
Palantir, the tech giant helping ICE kidnap people off our streets and fuel the genocide in Gaza, announced they were moving to Miami. This is in large part due to the fact they were run out of Denver by pro-immigrant protests. AFSC has previously pointed out the dangers of Palantir, and communities continue to demand Palantir leave Florida.
Detentions in Florida
Despite federal appropriations law requiring semimonthly publication of custody and enforcement information, ICE has not published their detention statistics since February 12, 2026, with data on individual facility populations only current through the month's first week. After peaking officially over 70,000, and unofficially reported to have reached close to 73,000 people in detention, that last available report declared a total population down around 68,000, with all Florida facilities more or less maintaining their recent levels, possibly suggesting ongoing capacity limits in the state. After going almost the entire month without an update, though the current picture is much less clear.
Amidst the explosion in habeas petitions being filed, and releases won in federal courts in response to the administration's unprecedented "reinterpretation" of mandatory vs. discretionary detention last year, people who were arrested after the government dismissed their cases in immigration court were being almost entirely left out and stuck in detention.
Starting mostly in February, though, at least a dozen of those from Miami (and now currently detained across the country) have begun to win their habeas petitions as well, including some of the earliest cases who have been in detention for the better part of a year at this point.
Dozens more have their cases pending in federal courts that suddenly seem much more willing to entertain their legal arguments (and give less deference to those of the government attorneys). Too many of them still sit in detention, too few with access to the lawyers that make those federal filings more attainable, but after a bleak 2025 where hundreds decided giving up their cases and accepting deportation was the only way out of detention, this spring has begun with a new bit of hope for those still fighting.
Photos: Guadalupe De la Cruz/AFSC
Seeds of Resistance Youth Program
Big news from Seeds of Resistance: we’re excited to share that planning is officially in the process for our new cohort at the Naranja Branch Library in Homestead! This upcoming cohort is set to launch between mid-May and early June, and we can’t wait to bring together a powerful community of young creatives and leaders.
And that’s not all—our Summer Academy is also in the works! We’re gearing up for an inspiring, high-energy program this July filled with creativity, growth, and connection. Stay tuned more details and your official invitation are coming soon! Above you can see pictures from previous cohorts.
Learn more about AFSC Florida and sign up for updates.