Gov. Ron DeSantis plans to open ICE detention center in Florida's Panhandle

Gov. DeSantis speaks at Deportation Depot | FULL

Governor Ron DeSantis, alongside Attorney General James Uthmeier, CFO Ingoglia and state law enforcement, held a press conference at the Deportation Depot to announce the arrests of 10,000 immigrants in Operation Tidal Wave. 

BAKER COUNTY, Fla. - Florida is planning to build another immigration detention facility in the state's Panhandle, pending approval from the Department of Homeland Security. 

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced plans to build another facility to hold ICE detainees, after he said that the state's current detention facility in South Florida, nicknamed "Alligator Alcatraz", is a temporary facility. 

What we know:

In a Jan. 5 press conference, Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke about the state's successes in detaining undocumented immigrants within state borders. Under "Operation Tidal Wave," DeSantis said over 10,000 undocumented immigrants were arrested and turned over to the Department of Homeland Security. Among the 10,000, 63% had criminal arrests or convictions, including violent and sex offenders.  

Apart from "Operation Tidal Wave," joint efforts from Florida counties contributed to 20,000 arrests. All of Florida's 67 counties have 287(g) agreements – deputizing officers to act as ICE officers by arresting and detaining individuals for immigration violations. 

DeSantis praised the "meaningful results" and said the state has "good momentum." 

Expanding Florida ICE detention centers

DeSantis said that Florida is hoping to help DHS with capacity and has a few potential U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center locations in mind.

"We’re looking to help, and we’re going to get reimbursed on this," he said in front of the "Deportation Depot" in Sanderson on Monday. 

DeSantis said he's planning a "Panhandle-Pokey," which will be located in Northwest Florida, but is waiting for approval from DHS – upon which the state will be reimbursed. 

DeSantis said DHS didn't have capacity for ICE detainees, so the state offered potential locations and were reimbursed. 

If DHS doesn’t approve the new center, then "we’ll stand by," he said. "I think it should be approved, because I don’t think that they’re where they need to be on detention space."

Another potential option is in Southern Florida, he said. They’re working on several options, he said. 

Florida's Everglades detention facility, "Alligator Alcatraz", is a temporary facility, DeSantis said. Its airstrip saves time when flying people out, but they had to build a lot of temporary things in the area, he explained. 

"It’s clearly temporary. How temporary will depend on the pace that they have in terms of doing the expansion," DeSantis said. "We would anticipate that at some point they're going to up their own capacity." 

Where are Florida's ICE detention centers?

In Florida, ICE's website lists five locations used as detention facilities, field centers or processing centers. 

• Baker County. Located at the former Baker Correctional Institution, the Baker County Detention Center, also dubbed the "Deportation Depot" in Sanderson opened in August 2025 and has the capacity to hold over 1,300 detainees. Ninety-three deportation flights have left the facility that's been operating for four months, DeSantis said – deporting over 2,000 individuals.
• Pompano Beach. Operated by The GEO Group, is the Broward Transition Center.
• Miami. Located in Miami is the Federal Detention Center.
• Moore Haven. Located at the Glades County Jail, is the Glades County Detention Center.
• Miami. Located west of Miami, is the Krome North Service Processing Center.

The Everglades Detention Facility, also called "Alligator Alcatraz," is located near Ochopee at the abandoned Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport.