About 2,000 immigration detainees still under evacuation from Florida

Some 2,000 immigration detainees who were evacuated from Florida before Hurricane Irma were still being held out of state on Friday.

With Florida still in the recovery phase, the Department of Homeland Security has yet to decide when to return the detainees to lockups at the Krome and Glades detention centers, the Monroe County Jail and Broward Transitional Center, according to an official with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

They were moved more than a week ago. ICE officials have consistently refused to say where the detainees were sent, citing security concerns.

Florida based law enforcement officials had been diverted to other responsibilities, and some were assessing their own homes’ damage as well, the official said. “Our focus remains on supporting the federal, state, and local response and preserving life and safety of those in the impacted areas.”

This story was originally published September 15, 2017 at 12:36 PM with the headline "About 2,000 immigration detainees still under evacuation from Florida."