Broward Transitional Center — Pompano Beach FL (GEO Group)
Overview
The Broward Transitional Center (BTC) is a 600-bed GEO Group-operated ICE detention facility in Pompano Beach, Florida. As of mid-2025, it is running at 105-108% capacity (630-650 detainees), with 80% of detainees having no criminal record or pending charges.
Key Details
- Address: 3900 North Powerline Road, Pompano Beach, FL
- Capacity: 600 beds (actual population: 630-650)
- Operator: GEO Group
- Contract value: $42.9M/year (FY2025 task order 70CDCR24FR0000053, USAspending)
- Contract type: ICE contract (direct)
Death in Custody
Marie Ange Blaise, 44, a Haitian detainee, died April 25, 2025 from cardiac/respiratory arrest after complaining of chest pains. Her death came amid deteriorating medical conditions at the facility.
Conditions Crisis (2025)
911 calls from BTC doubled in the first half of 2025:
- 88 calls Jan-June 2025 vs. 44 in the same period of 2024
- 40% involved medical emergencies (fainting, seizures, chest pains, potential miscarriage)
- Staff admitted: “We’re not well equipped” and “We have nurses here, yes. No doctor.”
- Rep. Frederica Wilson found one nurse per 500 detainees
- A July 2025 memo mandated detaining all immigrants pending court cases, ending discretionary release of medically vulnerable individuals
Political Context
Sheriff Gregory Tony signed 287(g) agreements under political duress. He publicly stated “I didn’t sign up to be ICE” and told county commissioners BSO would not deploy deputies to find undocumented immigrants who haven’t committed crimes. Florida AG James Uthmeier threatened Tony with suspension, and Tony backed down in writing — but assigned only 2 staff members to ICE programs.
Despite Tony’s resistance, Broward is now an active Operation Tidal Wave enforcement zone, with ICE agents documented conducting operations at Oakland Park Boulevard/Hiatus Road (Sunrise), Cooper City, and on highways where FHP teams with federal agents to pull over landscaping trucks.
Notable: Broward and Miami-Dade are the only large Florida agencies that have not applied for the state’s $60M immigration enforcement grant program.
History
The BTC was the subject of the 2019 documentary “The Infiltrators.” Previous Congressional concern (Reps. Ted Deutsch, Alcee Hastings, Frederica Wilson, Luis Gutierrez) over medical care failures went unanswered by ICE.