Standing in front of the Baker Correctional Institution, closed since 2021, Gov. DeSantis unveiled the new name: the 'Deportation Depot.'
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Thursday announced plans to convert a shuttered state prison in North Florida into the state’s second immigration detention facility — a move he says will speed up deportations as part of President Donald Trump’s nationwide immigration crackdown.
Standing in front of razor wire and steel fencing at the Baker Correctional Institution, closed since 2021, DeSantis unveiled the new name: the “Deportation Depot.” He described it as a northern counterpart to the controversial “Alligator Alcatraz” facility in the Everglades. “We are calling this the Deportation Depot,” DeSantis said. “This is not just about housing individuals indefinitely; it’s about processing and returning illegal aliens to their home countries. That’s the name of the game.” The Baker facility, located about 45 miles west of Jacksonville and 15 minutes from Lake City Gateway Airport, can hold 1,310 detainees, with room to expand to 2,000 using temporary dormitories, according to Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie. “They will have three meals a day. They will have 24/7 medical facility and pharmacy. They will have access to indoor and outdoor rec yards everything that is required under federal or state law for a detention facility,” Guthrie said. State officials say the location will allow detainees to be processed and placed on flights home within hours. The project carries an estimated $6 million price tag, which DeSantis said will be reimbursed by the federal government. The announcement comes just weeks after the opening of “Alligator Alcatraz,” Florida’s first state-run immigration detention site at a remote airfield in the Everglades. That facility has already processed “many hundreds” of detainees since opening in July, according to the governor, but it has also faced lawsuits and complaints about flooding, mosquitoes, broken toilets, and restricted access to legal counsel. DeSantis said Baker’s “ready-made infrastructure” will allow for a quicker, more cost-effective launch than building from scratch or retrofitting other sites considered, including Camp Blanding in Northeast Florida. The new facility will be operated by the Florida Division of Emergency Management and staffed with Florida National Guard troops and private contractors. “Florida’s making a difference. This is a priority for the people of our state. It’s a priority for the people of this country,” DeSantis said. During the conference, Governor DeSantis highlighted Florida's leading role in immigration enforcement, noting the state's requirement for all local law enforcement agencies to collaborate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement . "If we don't stand up and fight to uphold our laws and hold people accountable, what does that say about our leadership?" Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins remarked. This policy, the governor said, has positioned Florida as a national leader in immigration control, surpassing efforts by other states.Larry Keefe, Florida’s public safety czar, said the state’s strategy has become a model for others. “The state of Florida is by far, by any measure, the best and most effective partner the federal government has in the mass deportation mission You need to adopt Florida’s blueprint. You need to do what Florida does,” Keefe said. No opening date has been announced, but DeSantis said the “Deportation Depot” could begin taking transfers within weeks.The Baker Correctional Institution, where DeSantis plans to open the “Deportation Depot,” is located about 20 minutes away from Baker County Detention Center, a county-run facility in Macclenny that also functions as an ICE detention center. That center has drawn significant criticism for its alleged treatment of immigration detainees. Civil rights groups have filed federal complaints and lawsuits alleging abuse, medical neglect, prolonged solitary confinement, racial and sexual harassment, and humiliating treatment.
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