DeSantis Plans Second Immigration Detention Facility in Florida/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced plans to open a second immigration detention facility, nicknamed “Deportation Depot,” at Baker Correctional Institution in north Florida. The facility will initially hold 1,300 detainees, with capacity for up to 2,000. The announcement comes amid ongoing legal battles over conditions at the state’s first immigration center in the Everglades.
Florida Immigration Detention Quick Looks
- Second immigration detention facility to open at Baker Correctional Institution
- Capacity: 1,300 beds, expandable to 2,000
- Estimated build-out cost: $6 million
- Facility repurposes unused state prison space
- Staffed by Florida National Guard and contractors
- DeSantis cites need to aid Trump administration deportations
- First detention center, “Alligator Alcatraz,” facing legal scrutiny
- Civil rights lawyers allege poor conditions, limited attorney access
- New location chosen over Camp Blanding for better airport proximity
- Expected operational timeline: 2–3 weeks
Deep Look: Florida to Open Second Immigration Detention Center at State Prison
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday that the state will open a second immigration detention facility at Baker Correctional Institution, a state prison located about 43 miles west of Jacksonville. Dubbed “Deportation Depot,” the site will initially provide 1,300 beds for detainees, with the potential to expand to 2,000.
The move follows the July opening of the state’s controversial first immigration holding center at a remote Everglades airstrip, known as “Alligator Alcatraz,” which is currently facing lawsuits over alleged inhumane conditions.
Expanding Capacity for Federal Immigration Enforcement
DeSantis framed the new facility as part of Florida’s partnership with the Trump administration to increase detention capacity for undocumented immigrants. “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 governors for expanding state-level immigration detention infrastructure, calling Florida’s model an example for other states.
The Baker site was chosen for its ready-made infrastructure, allowing the state to repurpose unused prison space at a fraction of the cost of building a new facility. DeSantis estimated the renovation cost at $6 million, compared to hundreds of millions spent on constructing the Everglades facility.
Operational Plans and Staffing
According to Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie, the Baker center could be operational in two to three weeks. The prison has been closed since 2021 due to staffing shortages, and renovations will include installing air conditioning — not required under Florida prison standards despite the state’s extreme heat.
Staffing will be handled by the Florida National Guard and private contractors “as needed.” The Guard has already been involved in supporting Florida’s prison system and immigration enforcement efforts for more than two years.
Initially, DeSantis had considered locating the second facility at Camp Blanding, a Florida National Guard training base southwest of Jacksonville. However, Baker Correctional Institution was ultimately chosen for its larger capacity and closer proximity to a regional airport suitable for large deportation flights.
Legal and Human Rights Concerns
The expansion comes as conditions at the Everglades detention facility are under federal court review. Civil rights attorneys have described the site as unsafe, citing reports of detainees with COVID-19 symptoms being housed alongside the general population, flooding in tents during rainstorms, and officers pressuring detainees to sign voluntary deportation orders before speaking with legal counsel.
“Recent conditions at Alligator Alcatraz have fueled a sense of desperation among detainees,” attorneys wrote in a court filing.
Lawyers are urging U.S. District Judge Rodolfo Ruiz to ensure detainees have confidential access to attorneys and to determine which immigration court has jurisdiction over the facility. Currently, advocates say they have been told that no federal immigration court in Florida claims jurisdiction over detainees at the site, complicating efforts to file bond or release petitions.
Political and Policy Context
DeSantis has positioned Florida as a national leader in state-led immigration enforcement, arguing that federal capacity is insufficient. His administration’s approach aligns closely with the Trump administration’s priorities, and the new facility is being touted as a cost-efficient way to process and deport more immigrants.
Critics, however, view the move as part of a broader strategy to expand detention without adequate oversight, pointing to the unresolved issues at the first facility. Civil rights advocates warn that without significant changes, the new site could replicate the same human rights concerns already raised in court.
With construction underway and legal challenges mounting, Florida’s detention expansion is likely to remain at the center of the state’s immigration debate in the coming months.
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