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The Florida government opened a new immigrant detention center this week, named "Deportation Depot", at the facilities of the former Baker Correctional Institution, located in Sanderson, about 70 kilometers west of Jacksonville.
The center, which has been housing 117 people since Tuesday, has a initial capacity for 1,500 detainees, although authorities indicated that it could be expanded to accommodate up to 2,000 beds.
The governor Ron DeSantis stated during a press conference that "there is demand" and that he is "convinced it will be filled."
A prison reactivated for immigration purposes
The penitentiary, closed since 2021 due to a lack of staff and a decrease in the inmate population, was adapted in just a few weeks to become an immigration detention center. According to DeSantis, “there was a huge part of the center that was unoccupied. It was an opportunity ready to be utilized.”
The Attorney General of Florida, James Uthmeier, in statements to Fox News, emphasized that the repurposing of this prison represents significant savings for the state: “We will use all available spaces. We will fill it quickly and make good use of it.”
The redevelopment of the center had an estimated cost of six million dollars, significantly lower than the more than 245 million allocated to the first migration center in the state, known as “Alligator Alcatraz”, built in the Everglades.
Reactions and legal context
The opening of the "Deportation Depot" comes after a federal appeals court suspended a judge's order to close "Alligator Alcatraz."
The magistrate Kathleen Williams had ordered the dismantling of the center, following a lawsuit filed by environmental organizations and the Miccosukee tribe, which alleged violations of federal law due to lack of environmental review in a protected wetland area.
However, a panel of three judges from the Appeals Court in Atlanta voted 2-1 to block that order, allowing the center in the Everglades to continue operating while the litigation is resolved.
The Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, confirmed that these detention centers will be part of a state network that will receive federal funding.
In July, the White House announced an investment of 608 million dollars to expand the infrastructure of immigration detention centers nationwide.
Complaints and concerns
The expansion of the system has generated strong criticism from human rights organizations, particularly regarding the reported conditions in "Alligator Alcatraz", where lawyers have reported flooding, pressures on detainees to sign deportation orders without consulting legal counsel, and lack of access to basic services.
DeSantis assured that the new center will provide the same services, but no details have been given regarding supervision mechanisms or legal representation guarantees for the immigrants held there.
The immigrant detention center known as “Alligator Alcatraz”, located in the Florida Everglades, will remain open after a federal appeals court blocked a closure order issued by a judge in Miami this Thursday.
Frequently Asked Questions about the new immigration detention center "Deportation Depot" in Florida
What is the "Deportation Depot" and where is it located?
The "Deportation Depot" is a new immigrant detention center in Florida, located at the former Baker Correctional Institution, near Sanderson, about 70 kilometers west of Jacksonville. This center was recently opened to expand the state's capacity for immigration detention, repurposing prison facilities that had been vacant since 2021.
What is the capacity of the "Deportation Depot" and what costs were involved in its opening?
The "Deportation Depot" has an initial capacity for 1,500 detainees, with the possibility of expanding to 2,000 beds. The cost of converting the center was six million dollars, which represents a significant savings compared to the "Alligator Alcatraz" center in the Everglades, which cost more than 245 million dollars.
What criticisms has the opening of this new detention center in Florida received?
The "Deportation Depot" has faced criticism from human rights organizations, who question the detention conditions and the lack of access to basic services and legal representation for immigrants. Concerns also focus on the absence of adequate oversight mechanisms to ensure the well-being of detainees, especially in light of previous complaints regarding the "Alligator Alcatraz" center.
What is the Florida government's stance on the expansion of immigration detention centers?
Governor Ron DeSantis defends the expansion of detention centers as necessary to manage what he considers an unprecedented migration crisis. He asserts that these centers are essential for the processing, detention, and deportation of irregular immigrants, in coordination with the federal government and under the migration agenda of former President Donald Trump.
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