Tallahassee, FL — As controversy continues to swirl around Florida’s first state-run immigration detention center, Gov. Ron DeSantis‘ administration is already moving forward with plans for a second facility, even as legal challenges and public criticism intensify.
New Site Slated for Camp Blanding
Records reviewed by the media show that the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) has awarded contracts for a new location referred to as the “North Detention Facility,” which would be built at Camp Blanding, a Florida National Guard training center roughly 27 miles southwest of Jacksonville.
“We look forward to the increased cadence,” DeSantis said last month. “Florida is ready, willing and able to expand its operations.”
The state has already invested more than $245 million into the original Everglades site — dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” — which officially opened July 1 and has been the focus of civil rights and environmental lawsuits.
Human Rights Concerns and Legal Challenges Mount
Civil rights groups have reported that detainees at the Everglades facility have allegedly been:
- Denied access to attorneys and immigration courts
- Held without formal charges
- Denied sufficient food and medical care
Some lawsuits claim detainees are being “held in unconstitutional conditions” and argue the remote nature of the facility makes legal access nearly impossible.
“They’ve been barred from meeting with their attorneys, held without any charges, and unable to get a federal immigration court to hear their cases,” a civil rights attorney told The Associated Press.
New Contracts and Emergency Planning
Despite backlash, the state has recently awarded a $39,000 contract for a portable emergency weather station and lightning sirens to be used at the proposed North Detention Facility. The equipment is meant to support real-time weather monitoring and safety alerts for staff, especially critical during Florida’s hurricane season.
Florida officials have also released a heavily redacted emergency evacuation plan for the Everglades site. Entire sections regarding evacuation logistics for detainees were blacked out, citing state laws that allow confidentiality for emergency procedures.
“I promise you that the hurricane guys have got the hurricane stuff covered,” said FDEM Executive Director Kevin Guthrie during a July 25 press conference, defending the design of the temporary structures.
Trump and Noem Support Harsh Conditions
Former President Donald Trump has publicly praised the Everglades facility for its “harshness and remoteness,” calling it suitable for the “worst of the worst.” Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the South Florida detention site should be viewed as a model for other states looking to manage their own immigration detentions.
But immigrant advocates and environmentalists warn that Florida’s rapid expansion of detention operations — especially in ecologically sensitive or isolated areas — threatens both human rights and environmental safety.
What’s Next for Camp Blanding?
Although DeSantis has said the state is waiting on federal officials to ramp up deportations from the current facility before fully building out Camp Blanding, the new contracts and infrastructure plans indicate momentum is already underway.
What are your thoughts on Florida’s growing state-run detention system? Let us know in the comments.
