Photo: Douglas Rissing / iStock / Getty Images
Baker County, FL - Florida officials gathered in North Florida to outline the state’s expanding role in immigration detention and deportation efforts without detailing every operational aspect of the program.
Governor Ron DeSantis appeared Monday at the state operated immigrant detention center in Baker County commonly referred to by officials as the Deportation Depot.
The facility is housed at a former state prison and is being used to temporarily hold undocumented immigrants prior to removal from the United States.
DeSantis was joined by cabinet members and law enforcement leaders who described the site as a key part of Florida’s cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
According to the governor’s office, thousands of detainees have passed through the Baker County center since operations began last year.
State officials said deportation flights are regularly conducted from the facility and have resulted in several thousand individuals being transported out of the country.
The administration credited those removals to a coordinated effort between state agencies and federal partners.
DeSantis also highlighted what the state calls Operation Tidal Wave, an enforcement initiative launched in 2024.
Officials said the program has led to thousands of arrests statewide involving individuals who were allegedly in the country illegally.
State leaders added that a majority of those arrested had prior criminal records, though detailed case information was not provided during the event.
The governor said Florida is seeking federal approval to open additional immigration detention facilities, including a proposed site in the Florida Panhandle and another potential location in South Florida.
Approval from the Department of Homeland Security is still pending.
Supporters say the facilities strengthen immigration enforcement, while critics continue to question oversight and conditions at state run detention centers.