Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced the opening of a new temporary immigration detention facility in North Florida on Thursday. The facility, located at the Baker Correctional Institution in Sanderson, will process, stage, and deport illegal immigrants.
“Today, I announced that Baker Correctional Institution in Sanderson will now serve as a Deportation Depot to detain and process illegal immigrants for removal, building on the success the state has had with Alligator Alcatraz,” Gov. DeSantis said in a release. “We’ll enforce the law, we’ll hold the line, and we will keep delivering results.”
The new facility is designed to hold more than 1,300 detainees and will offer the same services as the state’s existing detention site, Alligator Alcatraz. The costs associated with the facility will be reimbursed by federal partners. Its proximity to Lake City Airport, about 15 minutes away, is expected to streamline deportation procedures.