Florida’s immigration detention facility in northeast Florida, converted from the former Baker Correctional Institution and commonly referred to as “Deportation Depot,” has experienced repeated disturbances since its inauguration last September, prompting the use of chemical agents to control detainee unrest on at least two occasions.
According to an official statement from the Florida Division of Emergency Management released Thursday, the latest disruption happened on Christmas Eve. Officials reported that multiple detainees disobeyed orders to return to their bunks and advanced towards staff members. During this confrontation, one detainee allegedly became aggressive and assaulted an officer, leading guards to deploy pepper spray in order to reestablish safety for both detainees and staff.
This incident follows a significant event on October 29, in which detainees at the facility attempted to barricade themselves within their housing unit. The detainees incited violence and caused considerable property damage before security personnel used pepper spray to regain control. Authorities indicated that no injuries were sustained and all individuals involved received precautionary medical evaluations.
The northeastern Florida detention site is the state’s second immigration holding center, following the establishment of “Alligator Alcatraz” in the Florida Everglades the previous summer. Florida’s government is currently awaiting federal authorization to launch a third immigration detention center in the Panhandle area, and is exploring a potential fourth facility in South Florida, as announced by Governor Ron DeSantis earlier this month.
Governor DeSantis has stated that his administration’s partnership with federal law enforcement resulted in approximately 10,000 arrests over the past year of individuals residing in the United States without legal authorization. Additionally, local law enforcement agencies contributed an estimated 10,000 arrests, bringing the state’s total to about 20,000 apprehensions. Of those detained under the state initiative, 63% reportedly had prior criminal arrests or convictions, according to DeSantis.
Florida has been at the forefront among states in building detention facilities aimed at supporting immigration enforcement policies enacted during the Trump administration, with DeSantis asserting the necessity of increased space to detain and deport more undocumented immigrants. The Trump administration has publicly commended Republican governors’ efforts to expand detention capacity, highlighting Florida’s collaboration as a model for similar state-managed centers.
Meanwhile, legal representatives for detainees held at the Everglades facility have criticized conditions, describing them as unacceptable in court filings. They contend that detainees’ tents are prone to flooding from rainwater and that officers exert pressure on detainees to sign voluntary removal orders prior to consulting with legal counsel.
There are currently three federal lawsuits pending in Florida challenging aspects of the Everglades detention center’s operations. The first lawsuit sought the facility’s closure, positing that immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility and that the state, along with its contractors, lacks the legal authority to operate the center. This case concluded recently after the plaintiff agreed to deportation.
The second lawsuit involves detainees seeking judicial assurance of confidential attorney-client communication access. The third case resulted in a federal judge ordering a gradual cessation of operations at the Everglades site due to a lack of environmental impact assessment. However, an appellate court has temporarily suspended enforcement of this order, allowing the facility to continue functioning while the legal process unfolds.