Florida Opens Deportation Depot, Plans Panhandle Pokey After Alligator Alcatraz Court Win [WATCH]

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday the opening of the state’s second detention facility for illegal immigrants, nicknamed the “Deportation Depot.”

The facility, located at the Baker Correctional Institution in northeast Florida, has the capacity to hold up to 2,000 individuals and is already receiving detainees.

The announcement follows a federal appeals court decision allowing Florida’s first detention facility, “Alligator Alcatraz,” to remain in operation.

That site had faced a lower court ruling ordering its closure, but the appellate court reversed the decision in a 2-1 ruling.

“We’re not only doing ‘Alligator Alcatraz,’ we’ve now opened the ‘Deportation Depot’ up in northeast Florida, and we’re working on opening a ‘Panhandle Pokey’ in northwest Florida,” DeSantis said during an appearance on Fox News.

The new facility adds to Florida’s capacity to detain illegal immigrants pending deportation, a move that DeSantis said will support enforcement and reduce logistical challenges.

He also confirmed plans for a third center, the “Panhandle Pokey,” though no timeline or specific location has been announced.

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The recent court ruling was viewed as a victory for Republican immigration policy, particularly in line with President Donald Trump’s national enforcement strategy.

Trump’s agenda has emphasized increasing detention space to ensure illegal immigrants are held prior to deportation proceedings.

Judge Barbara Lagoa, a Trump appointee, wrote the opinion for the majority in the appellate court’s decision, questioning the lower court’s earlier order.

“It is entirely unclear to us, moreover, how the district court concluded that it could order the proactive dismantling of the Facility by way of a mandatory preliminary injunction,” Lagoa wrote.

Had the lower court’s decision stood, it would have required the closure and dismantling of “Alligator Alcatraz.”

The appellate ruling allows Florida to continue operating the facility while expanding detention capacity through new centers.

The mission continues at Alligator Alcatraz.

The media was wrong.

The leftist judge has been overturned.

Florida will keep leading the way. pic.twitter.com/Ik2fJnqXIP

— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) September 4, 2025

DeSantis said that opening additional facilities would also address transportation issues for detainees across the state.

“You know, you’re in the panhandle sending to ‘Alligator Alcatraz,’ that’s a long way,” he said at a press conference earlier in the week.

“Even sending to the Deportation Depot in north Florida, that could be three to five hours, depending on where you are in the panhandle.”

Florida’s approach to naming detention facilities follows a broader trend, with other states adopting similar nicknames. For example, Indiana operates a site referred to as the “Speedway Slammer.”

The Baker Correctional Institution’s conversion into the “Deportation Depot” expands Florida’s immigration enforcement infrastructure, signaling the state’s alignment with federal priorities under Trump.

The addition of the upcoming “Panhandle Pokey” would further extend detention capacity, allowing the state to streamline holding and processing of individuals facing removal.

As Florida continues to add facilities, the developments highlight the interplay between state-led initiatives and federal immigration enforcement, with court rulings shaping the scope of what can move forward.

The new detention centers reflect an effort to meet the demand for holding space while ensuring compliance with deportation procedures.