Advocates in Northeast Florida are protesting Gov. DeSantis’s plan to turn Camp Blanding into an immigration detention center.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Tensions are escalating in Northeast Florida as local communities and advocates voice their opposition to Governor Ron DeSantis’s proposal to convert Camp Blanding into an immigration detention facility.
On Friday, the Jacksonville Immigrant Rights Alliance held a rally outside the federal courthouse in downtown Jacksonville. They were joined by numerous supporters who criticized the proposal as inhumane, cautioning that it might lead to repeating historical errors.
Among the protesters was Clay County’s Rev. Madison Hilt, who grew up minutes from Camp Blanding.
“As a pastor, that hurts my heart and I can’t do anything but stand here and resist what’s happening,” Hilt said.
Hilt highlighted the historical significance of the site, noting its past use during World War II when it served as a detention center for thousands of naturalized U.S. citizens under suspicion of being wartime adversaries.
“I really thought that Camp Blanding was starting to shut off the misdeeds of entering American citizens, and it turns out that it hasn’t. I really hate to see it,” Hilt said.
The rally comes as state Rep. Angie Nixon and four other lawmakers filed a lawsuit this week after being denied entry July 3 to inspect another detention facility near the Everglades, known as Alligator Alcatraz.
“At the end of the day, accountability and transparency should not be scheduled,” Nixon said. “We need to make sure that those folks are treated humanely inside of that detention center.”
DeSantis’ office dismissed the lawsuit as “frivolous and dumb,” saying lawmakers have been invited to tour the site this weekend. That’s happening Saturday, July 11.
State officials insist the new facility is necessary for public safety and that detainees’ rights will be protected. Nixon said she will continue to push for oversight.
Rally organizer Maria Garcia said the fight is about more than policy.
“I think the country is stronger when we are united,” Garcia said. “I think building more detention centers just puts us all at risk.”
A major rally is planned for July 19 at Camp Blanding, where organizers say they will continue to demand transparency, rain or shine.
