Summary
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced plans to open a second immigration detention facility at a state prison in north Florida. The facility will be located at Baker Correctional Institution and will have up to 2,000 beds. This expansion supports the federal government's need for more space to hold and deport immigrants.
Key Facts
- The new detention facility will be in Baker Correctional Institution, Florida.
- It will have up to 2,000 beds for immigration detention.
- The site was chosen because it is already a state prison and is not currently in use for state prisoners.
- Setting up the facility is estimated to cost $6 million.
- Florida National Guard and state contractors will handle staffing at the facility.
- The facility could be ready in two to three weeks.
- The prison has been closed since 2021 due to staffing shortages.
- The first detention facility in the Florida Everglades opened last month, also under DeSantis' directive.
