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FLORIDA - Florida is preparing to expand its migrant detention efforts with a second facility under consideration, this time at Camp Blanding, a National Guard training site located just outside Jacksonville.
Governor Ron DeSantis announced the plan during a press event, framing it as part of Florida’s aggressive support for federal immigration enforcement.
The announcement comes amid mounting criticism over the state’s first detention site, a remote complex under construction in the Everglades that has been labeled “Alligator Alcatraz” by opponents.
That facility, situated on a disused airstrip in the swamp, is set to house up to 5,000 migrants by July using large tents and mobile trailers.
While DeSantis insists it will have no environmental impact, environmentalists and human rights advocates are alarmed by its proximity to sensitive wetlands and sacred tribal lands.
In contrast, the proposed second center at Camp Blanding would be located on a more accessible military base, potentially reducing the logistical and environmental concerns surrounding the Everglades site.
DeSantis says the goal is to ease pressure on state and local jails and help the federal government meet its goal of expanding detention capacity to 100,000 beds.
Operating costs for the detention initiative are estimated at $245 per bed per day, totaling nearly 450 million dollars annually.
Florida will front the costs, with reimbursement expected from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.