Governor DeSantis has expressed a desire to hold off on setting up a new detention center at Camp Blanding to prevent it from being partially populated in conjunction with Alligator Alcatraz.
TAMPA, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis gave an update on the status of a proposed ICE detention facility for Camp Blanding in Clay County Wednesday.
Camp Blanding is located about 30 miles south of Jacksonville and serves as a major training base for the Florida National Guard.
During a press event where he announced the appointment of state Senator Blaise Ingoglia as the new Chief Financial Officer, DeSantis revealed that a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Camp Blanding has been issued by the state.
DeSantis stated, “There are several interested parties who have submitted their bids. I have instructed the Division of Emergency Management to prioritize using Camp Blanding only after Alligator Alcatraz reaches its full capacity. The Department of Homeland Security has already started transferring a notable number of individuals and has commenced deportations from that center.”
DeSantis continued: “As that fills (Alligator Alcatraz), once there’s a demand, then we would be able to go for Camp Blanding. But, what I don’t wanna do is set up [Camp] Blanding if you know, one is 60% full, and then the other is 40%. I’d rather just channel everyone to Alligator [Alcatraz] since it’s easier.”
DeSantis said Alligator Alcatraz can hold between 3,000 and 4,000 migrants, but explained that the site has not yet received that many.
“[Camp] Blanding can be turned on very quickly,” DeSantis said. “I know they’ll award the bids once we make that decision. This may happen in a matter of a week or two, you know, it’s possible.”
DeSantis explained that the state is still considering how migrants will be detained at Camp Blanding. He said by using existing infrastructure on the Florida National Guard training center, the number of migrants that could be held would be under 2,000, but more if new structures are built.
“We’ll make those decisions based on the facts on the ground,” DeSantis said. “I don’t wanna be creating some structure that can hold 2,000 illegal aliens, and then we end up having like 150 after a week.”
Immigrant advocates are organizing a protest this Saturday at 3 p.m. outside Camp Blanding, pushing back against state plans for new immigration detention centers and calling for an end to what they describe as inhumane conditions at existing facilities.
Maria Garcia with the Jacksonville Immigrant Rights Alliance, who is helping organize the rally, said, “an injury to one is an injury to all.”
“We’re serious about this like every step of the way we’re gonna fight it,” she added.
Garcia also questioned detention policies.
“If we are supposed to be deporting these immigrants, if they are such criminals and things like that and we want them out of our country, why are we waiting for these detention centers to fill?” Garcia said. “Why aren’t they getting processed quick?”
State Rep. Angie Nixon, who recently toured the Alligator Alcatraz facility near the Everglades, criticized the $450 million taxpayer dollars that they wasted on this facility.
She added that lawmakers “were rushed through and denied answers to basic questions,” which helped fuel a lawsuit she and four other lawmakers filed seeking transparency.
“It was just very unfortunate that we didn’t get the answers that we wanted to get, but that is one of the reasons that we decided to file that lawsuit which has gotten knocked down to the lower courts, but we are very optimistic that uh that we will prevail,” Nixon said.
State officials have not responded to requests for comment on the number of people who have been processed or the planned protest.
Protesters plan to gather Saturday at 3 p.m. at Camp Blanding, regardless of the weather.
