Will Camp Blanding be the 'Alligator Alcatraz' of Northeast Florida? Here's what we know.

Yahoo

03-07-2025

After greeting President Donald Trump at a newly unveiled immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades known as "Alligator Alcatraz," Gov. Ron DeSantis announced plans for a second facility at Camp Blanding that will hold up to 2,000 detainees. Construction on the site could begin as early as next week, following the 4th of July weekend.
To support his claim, DeSantis said the Camp Blanding facility will bolster both state and federal efforts to crack down on illegal immigration, calling it a key component in Florida's broader immigration enforcement strategy.
Criticism of 'Alligator Alcatraz": Florida lawmaker calls immigrant detention centers 'concentration camps' on CNN
Camp Blanding, located southwest of Jacksonville, serves as the primary training site for the Florida National Guard. Additionally, the site includes weapons ranges, educational facilities, simulation platforms, and maintenance support, serving not only the state's National Guard but also a wide range of federal, state, and local agencies across the Joint, Interagency, Intergovernmental, and Multinational (JIIM) spectrum.
Originally, the idea of using the site as a second immigration detention center was proposed during a news conference on June 25th by Gov. Ron DeSantis. He argued that a dedicated facility is necessary, saying, 'We can't have every illegal housed in our jails because we actually have non-illegals who need to be housed there.'
However, aside from being a training center, the facility also has an operating museum for civilians. However, the question remains whether turning Camp Blanding into an immigration detention center will disrupt its current daily operations.
Yes, Camp Blanding played a big role during World War II as one of the U.S. Army's major training centers. It started in 1939 as a training area for the Florida National Guard, but as the U.S. prepared for war, it quickly expanded into a federal military base.
During the war, Camp Blanding became home to two full infantry divisions and many smaller units. In 1944 and 1945, thousands of soldiers trained here before heading overseas to join combat. The camp also included a large hospital with 2,800 beds, a German POW camp, and later, a Separation Center to help soldiers return to civilian life after the war. Due to its history, the camp was turned into a museum for civilians to indulge in history.
After the war ended, Camp Blanding returned to state control. Today, it's still an important training site for the National Guard, Reserves, and even some active-duty military units.
Whether you're a history buff or just passing through, Camp Blanding offers a fascinating glimpse into America's wartime past.
More Camp Blanding history: Black Panther Division back at Camp Blanding, 75 years later
The Camp Blanding Museum features uniforms, weapons, vehicles, and aircraft dating back to the 1940s. According to its website, plans are underway to expand exhibits to include the Korean War, Vietnam, Desert Shield/Desert Storm, and the Global War on Terror.
Visitors can also browse a gift shop offering history books, patches, pins, and military memorabilia. Outside, the Memorial Park displays large artifacts and monuments honoring those who trained or served at Camp Blanding throughout the decades.
As of now, the museum is open to civilians daily from noon to 4 p.m. Located at 5629 SR 16 West, Building 3040, in Starke. Admissions are currently free, with tours available before or after normal hours by appointment, according to the website.
As of now, DeSantis has said it will be fully funded by the Federal government, and the construction of Alligator Alcatraz can give a general estimate of the costs that building a facility in Northeast Florida could look like.
For what we know now, the remote facility in South Florida, which is composed of large tents and other planned facilities, will cost the state around $450 million a year to run. However, to reduce some of the costs, Florida can request some reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
DeSantis has stated that the project will be fully funded by the federal government. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told USA TODAY that a significant portion of the center and its facilities will be financed through FEMA's Shelter and Services Program, and while the state has confirmed that FEMA will reimburse costs for the Everglades facility, it has not yet addressed whether additional sites will also qualify for reimbursement.
To place things into perspective, the 'Alligator Alcatraz' facility, designed to hold up to 5,000 detainees, was created in roughly one week under the direction of state Attorney General James Uthmeier. In comparison, Camp Blanding is expected to hold up to 2,000 detainees.
During a tour of the facility on July 1, Todd Lyons, the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, told NBC News that the site can now hold 500 detainees and will be expanded to fit as many as 3,000. As of now, there were rows of bunk beds inside fenced-in areas under a white tent structure with air conditioning.
Being present in the U.S. without proper authorization is generally a civil violation, not a criminal one. This means it's handled through immigration proceedings, like deportation, rather than criminal court.
Criminal Offenses Include:
Illegal Entry: Entering the U.S. without authorization, like crossing the border illegally, is a misdemeanor for the first offense, potentially punishable by fine or imprisonment.
Illegal Reentry: Reentering the U.S. after being deported or removed is a felony, with potential penalties of fines and imprisonment.
Other Immigration-Related Crimes: Other crimes like smuggling aliens, harboring aliens, or marriage fraud for immigration purposes can also be prosecuted under criminal law.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Camp Blanding: What to know about Florida's second 'Alligator Alcatraz'