Florida Opens Deportation Depot Detention Center in Former Prison

Florida Opens Deportation Depot

Criticism Over Migrant Conditions

DeSantis Defends Hardline Policy

According to Telemundo New Orleans, Governor Ron DeSantis officially inaugurated the Deportation Depot immigrant detention center at the former Baker Correctional Facility.

The complex is located 43 miles from Jacksonville and began receiving detainees on Friday, according to press secretary Molly Best.

The facility has an initial capacity for 1,300 people, though it could be expanded to 2,000 in the coming months.

DeSantis emphasized that the state will continue expanding its infrastructure to process migrants who cross illegally.

Legal and Political Context of the Deportation Depot Detention Center Opening

Florida has opened the Deportation Depot immigrant detention center in a former prison in the north of the state, press secretary Molly Best confirmed to Noticias Telemundo on Friday. https://t.co/111P34vtYI

— World News PR (@WorldNewsPR1) September 5, 2025

The opening of this center came just one day after the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals suspended a judicial ruling.

Federal Judge Kathleen Williams had ordered the closure of the Alligator Alcatraz migrant center in the Everglades due to poor conditions.

Donald Trump celebrated the decision in a social media post, while DeSantis declared that “the mission continues.”

The governor insisted that Florida will continue leading immigration policy with centers that reinforce detention and enforcement.

Costs and Features of the New Deportation Depot Center

Florida Opens Deportation Depot Detention Center – FOTO: SHUTTERSTOCKPH

The governor reported that Deportation Depot required an investment of $6 million to reopen.

This figure contrasts with the hundreds of millions spent on the controversial Everglades complex, which was far more costly.

The Baker prison had been closed since 2021, which allowed the state to take advantage of existing infrastructure.

Kevin Guthrie, Director of Emergency Management, explained that two to three weeks of work were needed to make it operational.

Deportation Depot Florida and Promises of Decent Conditions

Deportation Depot Detention Center Florida opens PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

DeSantis stated that the Deportation Depot center will provide 24/7 medical care, three meals a day, and access to religious and legal services.

He also highlighted the availability of laundry facilities and recreational areas for detainees while they await immigration proceedings.

The governor stressed that the facility will meet basic standards and that migrants will be protected.

However, critics remind that similar promises were made at Alligator Alcatraz, where there were reports of poor conditions.

Concerns From Organizations and Social Criticism

Migrant attorneys denounced that at Alligator Alcatraz, flooding from rainfall severely affected detainees.

There were also reports of a lack of separation for individuals with COVID-19 symptoms, increasing the risk of contagion.

Migrants reported being pressured into signing voluntary deportation orders under threats and precarious conditions.

Human rights organizations warn that these same problems could repeat themselves at the new Deportation Depot center in northern Florida.