Ron DeSantis Touts Cheaper Price Tag at 'Deportation Depot' Facility
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration is moving forward with plans to open a second immigration detention center—this one dubbed the "Deportation Depot"—at a state prison in north Florida. The announcement comes as a federal judge weighs the future of the state's first such facility, a controversial holding center for immigrants at an isolated airstrip in the Florida Everglades, known as "Alligator Alcatraz."
On Thursday, DeSantis announced that the new detention facility will be housed at the Baker Correctional Institution, located about 43 miles west of downtown Jacksonville. State officials said the site is expected to hold 1,300 immigration detention beds, with the potential to expand capacity to as many as 2,000.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and US President Donald Trump speak to reporters as Trump arrives at Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in Ochopee, Florida, on July 1, 2025.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and US President Donald Trump speak to reporters as Trump arrives at Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in Ochopee, Florida, on July 1, 2025.
AFP/Getty Images
The governor argued that the expansion is necessary to meet the needs of the federal government under President Donald Trump's administration. "There is a demand for this," DeSantis said. "I'm confident that it will be filled."
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has praised Republican-led efforts to increase immigration detention capacity nationwide, describing Florida's partnership as a potential model for other state-run facilities.
DeSantis emphasized that repurposing an existing state prison offers significant savings compared to building from scratch. He estimated the build-out cost for the Baker site at $6 million—far less than the hundreds of millions of dollars the state has committed to the sprawling network of tents and trailers at the Everglades facility.
"This part of the facility is not being used right now for the state prisoners. It just gives us an ability to go in, stand it up quickly, stand it up cheaply," he said, calling the location "ready-made."
According to Kevin Guthrie, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management—the agency overseeing construction—it could take two to three weeks to get the Baker site operational. The prison has been closed since 2021, when the state announced plans to shutter it temporarily due to chronic staffing shortages.
"A building that's been dormant now for a couple of years is going to have some unforeseen challenges," Guthrie noted. Among the necessary upgrades: installing air conditioning, which is not required in Florida prisons despite the state's sweltering heat.
Staffing for the new facility will be handled by the Florida National Guard and state contractors "as needed," DeSantis said. The Guard has previously been deployed to assist with staffing Florida's prisons and is now supporting the state's immigration enforcement initiatives.
Before settling on the Baker location, DeSantis had suggested placing the second facility at Camp Blanding, a Florida National Guard training site about 30 miles (48 kilometers) southwest of Jacksonville. The historic military installation served as a major U.S. Army training facility during World War II and now functions as a "continuity of government" site for Florida's executive branch.
While Camp Blanding has some air capacity, DeSantis said it was not ideal. "Blanding does have air capacity, but probably not a big enough runway to handle large planes," he explained, adding that Baker's proximity to a regional airport made it a better choice.
The governor promised that detainees at the new site will receive "the same services" available at the Everglades facility.
Meanwhile, conditions at "Alligator Alcatraz" are under intense scrutiny. Attorneys representing detainees have described the environment as deplorable, claiming that individuals with COVID-19 symptoms are not being isolated, rainwater regularly floods tents, and officers pressure detainees to sign voluntary removal orders before they can consult with attorneys.
"Recent conditions at Alligator Alcatraz have fueled a sense of desperation among detainees," lawyers wrote in a court filing.
The concerns were outlined in a Wednesday filing ahead of a Monday hearing before U.S. District Judge Rodolfo Ruiz. Civil rights attorneys are asking the judge to guarantee detainees confidential access to legal counsel—something they say has been denied—and to designate an immigration court with jurisdiction over the facility.
Attorneys claim they are often told that no federal immigration court in Florida has jurisdiction over detainees held at the Everglades site, complicating efforts to file petitions for bond or release. The judge's decision could influence not only the operation of the current facility but also the future of the state's expanded detention network.
This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
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