Key West's Immigrant Community Under Siege, Neighbors Step Up

Federal immigration enforcement has intensified in Key West, Florida, causing fear and disruption in a community that depends on immigrant workers. Local residents like Monica Caceres are organizing to deliver food and supplies to families who are being detained or living in hiding. The report is part of a larger series examining racial discrimination and the legacy of an African burial ground in the area.

The enforcement push in Key West has relied heavily on surveillance tactics adapted to the island's geography, including license-plate scanning along the single highway connecting the Keys to mainland Florida. Operation Tidal Wave, a six-day joint federal action launched in late April 2025, marked an early escalation. Support network tracking indicates roughly two detentions occur on an average day, with spikes reaching six to nine.

Recent weeks have seen increased targeting of Haitian residents whose Temporary Protective Status has lapsed. The island's tourism economy depends substantially on immigrant labor across hospitality, construction, and delivery sectors. Local volunteers like Monica Caceres have organized informal supply runs, delivering groceries to families who remain in hiding or whose members have been detained, filling gaps left by disrupted household incomes.