Florida Begins Transferring Detainees to New Immigrant Detention Site Amid Legal Battles Over Existing Facilities
Tallahassee, FL – Florida officials have begun transporting detainees to a newly established immigrant detention site dubbed “Deportation Depot,” following a series of legal challenges and criticisms surrounding the state’s existing detention practices.The announcement,made in August 2025,comes as the state navigates ongoing court battles over the controversial “alligator Alcatraz” facility in the Everglades and continues deportations to international locations like El Salvador’s Cecot Mega Prison.
The opening of ”Deportation Depot” signals a continued escalation of Florida’s efforts to detain and deport immigrants, a policy championed by Governor Ron DeSantis. The move is particularly important given recent setbacks for the state’s detention plans, including a preliminary injunction that threatened to shut down “Alligator Alcatraz.” While that order was stayed by a federal appeals court, allowing the state to continue transporting detainees from the Everglades site, the future of that facility remains uncertain.The developments raise concerns about the conditions of detention and the legal rights of those affected, as well as sparking debate over the environmental impact of such facilities.
“Alligator Alcatraz,” located in the Everglades, has faced intense scrutiny for it’s harsh conditions. Reports detail detainees being confined amid sweltering heat, bug infestations, and inadequate meals, prompting demands for its immediate closure from members of Congress and state representatives who toured the site in July 2025.
Environmental groups filed a federal lawsuit in August 2025 seeking to block operations and construction at the Everglades site until environmental laws are followed, arguing the facility’s development has not adhered to proper regulations. The ruling on the lawsuit represents a major setback for these groups.
Beyond Florida, many detainees have been sent to Guantanamo Bay or deported to El Salvador’s Cecot Mega Prison, according to reports from March 2025. The state has indicated it will continue transporting detainees from “Alligator Alcatraz” while the legal challenges are ongoing.
