Florida's 'Deportation Depot' To Detain Up To 2,000, Stage ICE Removal Flights; National Guard To Help Run Site

Florida will convert the shuttered Baker Correctional Institution into a state-run immigration detention hub dubbed the "Deportation Depot," with room for 1,300–2,000 detainees and proximity to Lake City Gateway Airport for removal flights. The state says DEM and the National Guard will operate the site with federal reimbursement anticipated, while nearby residents voice safety and fairness concerns. The move is part of a broader, accelerating push alongside the Everglades "Alligator Alcatraz" facility, which faces legal challenges.