Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has announced the opening of a second immigration detention facility, dubbed the "Deportation Depot," at the shuttered Baker Correctional Institution in Sanderson, Florida. The move, revealed at a press conference on August 14, 2025, comes just a month after the state opened its controversial "Alligator Alcatraz" facility in the Everglades—a site that has already drawn legal and environmental scrutiny.
According to ABC News, DeSantis declared, "We are authorizing and will be soon opening this new illegal immigration detention, processing and deportation facility here in North Florida." The Baker Correctional Institution, located about 43 miles west of downtown Jacksonville and near Lake City Airport, is expected to hold more than 1,300 detainees, with the potential to expand up to 2,000 beds if the need arises, state officials said.
The governor was quick to highlight the practical benefits of using the Baker 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," DeSantis noted, as reported by the Associated Press. The build-out cost is estimated at $6 million—significantly less than the hundreds of millions spent developing the tented and trailer-based Everglades facility. The state hopes to have the new center operational within two to three weeks, according to Kevin Guthrie, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management.
The Baker Correctional Institution has been dormant since 2021, when it was closed due to persistent staffing shortages and, as The Guardian reports, after numerous allegations of excessive violence and abuse by guards. Guthrie acknowledged that reopening the facility would not be without its challenges, noting that renovations would be required, including the installation of air conditioning—an amenity not mandated by Florida's prison standards despite the state's sweltering climate.
Staffing at the new site will be handled by the Florida National Guard and state contractors, a model that has already been used to address chronic shortages in the state’s prison system. DeSantis had previously floated Camp Blanding, a nearby National Guard training site, as a potential location, but logistical factors—especially the size of the runway—ultimately made Baker the preferred option. "Blanding does have air capacity, but probably not a big enough runway to handle large planes," DeSantis explained.
The announcement comes at a moment of heightened legal and political tension surrounding Florida’s immigration policies. The Everglades facility, known as "Alligator Alcatraz," is currently facing a civil rights lawsuit amid allegations of inhumane conditions. According to court filings cited by the Associated Press, attorneys for detainees have described "deplorable" circumstances, including detainees showing symptoms of COVID-19 without being separated from the general population, rainwater flooding tents, and officers pressuring detainees to sign voluntary removal orders before consulting with attorneys.
"Recent conditions at Alligator Alcatraz have fueled a sense of desperation among detainees," the attorneys wrote. Civil rights lawyers are also pushing for U.S. District Judge Rodolfo Ruiz to guarantee confidential access to legal counsel for detainees, something they claim has been lacking. The state, for its part, disputes these claims, stating that since July 15, 2025, videoconferencing has been available for attorney-client meetings, and in-person visits began on July 28, 2025.
Environmental concerns have also come to the fore. A coalition of environmental groups has filed suit, alleging that the Alligator Alcatraz facility is causing irreversible damage to the sensitive Everglades ecosystem. Last week, Judge Kathleen Williams issued a two-week restraining order halting any new construction at the site while allowing current operations to continue. Elise Bennett, Florida and Caribbean director for the Center for Biological Diversity, told The Guardian, "We’re feeling hopeful that the strong case we’ve made over the last few days will move the court to pump the brakes on this dangerous detention center." The restraining order is set to expire on August 21, 2025, and the court’s decision on whether to extend it is pending.
DeSantis, however, has remained steadfast, touting Florida's efforts as a model for the nation. He stated, "We have done more on this than any other state by a country mile," emphasizing the state's role in supporting the immigration enforcement priorities of President Donald Trump’s administration. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has echoed this sentiment, calling Florida’s partnership a model for other states seeking to expand detention capacity.
The governor also stressed that the purpose of the new facility is not to hold people indefinitely, but to process and return undocumented immigrants to their home countries. "The reason is not to house people indefinitely; we want to process and return illegal aliens to their home country. That is the name of the game," DeSantis said during his announcement, as reported by The Guardian and ABC News.
Not everyone is on board with the state’s aggressive expansion of detention facilities. State Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith voiced concerns about the detention of immigrants without criminal records, the conditions under which they are held, and whether due process is being respected. "This is sending shock waves through Hispanic and Latino communities, not only across Central Florida, but around the state and around the country," Smith said, according to local news reports. He also indicated plans to personally inspect the new facility once it opens, citing lawmakers’ statutory authority to visit such sites.
Kevin Guthrie, the state’s emergency management chief, outlined that "Deportation Depot" detainees will receive three meals a day, have access to legal and clergy support services, and benefit from a 24/7 medical facility and pharmacy. "The services that will happen here will, again, just as they are in South Florida, meet or exceed the federal or state detention standard," Guthrie said.
DeSantis has assured Floridians that the federal government will reimburse the state for all immigration detention spending. Despite the controversy, he maintains that Florida is simply fulfilling a national priority. "We know that this is an important national priority, not only of President Trump, but the American people," DeSantis said, as quoted in local news coverage.
While the timeline for the opening of the "Deportation Depot" remains uncertain, the state is moving quickly, perhaps in part due to the uncertain future of the Everglades facility. As Senator Smith put it, "Well, it seems like the state is trying to quickly open a new detention center because they're scared that a court is going to permanently shut down the Everglades detention camp."
As legal challenges and community concerns swirl, Florida’s approach to immigration enforcement is likely to remain a flashpoint in the state and beyond. The coming weeks will determine not only the fate of "Alligator Alcatraz" but also set the tone for how aggressively states can pursue their own immigration detention policies in the future.