Florida Opens New ‘Deportation Depot’ Immigrant Detention Facility

Florida has opened a new immigrant detention facility, informally called the “Deportation Depot,” at the Baker Correctional Institution west of Jacksonville. The state prison, which had been temporarily closed, is now receiving detainees as part of Governor Ron DeSantis’ expanding immigration enforcement measures.

According to the governor’s office, the site is currently housing 117 detainees but has the capacity to hold up to 1,500 people. Officials say the facility is designed to process and detain individuals awaiting deportation or other immigration proceedings.

This is the second large-scale detention facility Florida has launched in recent months, following the controversial Everglades site that critics labeled “Alligator Alcatraz.” That facility drew attention from both immigrant rights groups and state leaders, who argued over its impact on surrounding communities and its place in Florida’s broader immigration strategy.

State officials have also confirmed they are considering the addition of a third detention site in the Panhandle, though no timeline has been announced.

The opening of the Deportation Depot marks another step in Florida’s push to expand its role in immigration enforcement, even as debate continues nationwide over the balance between state action and federal authority.

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