The centre may soon be completely empty as a judge upheld her decision this week ordering operations to wind down indefinitely.

Shutting down the facility for the time being would cost the state $23 million to $30 million immediately, and it would cost another $23 million to $30 million to reinstall structures if Florida is allowed to reopen it, according to court filings by the state.

Republican Governor Ron DeSantis ’ administration is preparing to open a second immigration detention facility dubbed “Deportation Depot” at a state prison in north Florida.

Civil rights groups filed a second lawsuit last month against the state and federal governments over practices at the Everglades facility, claiming detainees were denied access to the legal system.

A third lawsuit by civil rights groups last Friday described “severe problems” at the facility which were “previously unheard-of in the immigration system.”