New detention center "Deportation Depot" in Florida
File:Baker_Correctional_Institution,_Sanderson,_Florida.jpg Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced on August 14 the opening of a new immigration detention center called “Deportation Depot,” which will open in
File:Baker_Correctional_Institution,_Sanderson,_Florida.jpg
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced on August 14 the opening of a new immigration detention center called "Deportation Depot," which will be located at the former Baker Correctional Institution, located between Jacksonville and Tallahassee, near Lake City Gateway Regional Airport.
Capacity and functionality
The president stated that the detention center will have a capacity to house approximately 1,300 people, although the possibility of expanding that number to 2,000 detainees through temporary dormitories is being considered.
He added that the main objective of Deportation Depot is to process and deport detainees quickly, rather than holding them for long periods of time.
Infrastructure, costs and financing
In his speech, DeSantis added that this new center addresses austerity, as it will utilize the existing infrastructure of the closed prison, allowing for a faster and more cost-effective implementation compared to building from scratch.
The estimated cost to put it into operation is $6 million, with the expectation of reimbursement through federal funds.
Personnel and operations
The center will be operated by the Florida National Guard, with support from state contractors as needed, rather than the Department of Corrections.
It is estimated that it could be operational in two to three weeks, although no exact opening date has been given as its inauguration is quite controversial.
This measure comes within the framework of an intensive immigration policy promoted by DeSantis and aligned with the Trump administration, seeking to rapidly expand the capacity for the deportation of undocumented immigrants.
The announcement comes amid legal and environmental disputes over the state's first detention center, known as "Alligator Alcatraz" in the Everglades, which is facing lawsuits alleging environmental damage and inhumane conditions.
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