Daijiworld Media Network - Florida

Florida, Jul 26: The first deportation flights have taken off from Florida’s new migrant detention centre in the Everglades, dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” Governor Ron DeSantis confirmed on Friday.

Around 100 detainees have already been deported directly from the facility, while hundreds more have been flown to federal hubs in Louisiana and other states, according to DeSantis. The flights, he said, were conducted by the Department of Homeland Security.

The state-operated centre, reportedly the only one of its kind in the country, is built on a disused airfield and features tents, trailers, and a makeshift runway with radar, night lighting, and 5,000 gallons of jet fuel. DeSantis said the airstrip is equipped for round-the-clock commercial flight operations.

The move has sparked legal and human rights concerns. The ACLU has sued the state, citing denial of legal counsel and due process. “The US Constitution does not allow the government to simply lock people away without any ability to communicate with counsel,” said Eunice Cho, ACLU’s lead counsel in the case.

Florida emergency management chief Kevin Guthrie said lawyer access should begin by Monday, attributing earlier delays to technical glitches.

The centre currently houses “a couple thousand” migrants, with plans to expand to 4,000 beds. A second centre in North Florida is also being considered.

Environmental groups have raised concerns over the site's location, which is surrounded by protected land. However, Guthrie brushed aside the objections, stating the airfield had once seen over 100 daily flights.

The initiative comes at an estimated annual cost of $450 million, a figure DeSantis has defended as essential for “law and order.” Critics, including Republicans, argue the cost per detainee is significantly higher than in ICE facilities.

Meanwhile, Florida has launched a controversial pilot programme encouraging undocumented migrants to voluntarily self-deport. About two dozen individuals have already left under the scheme, said immigration board director Larry Keefe.

Amid reports of poor conditions at the site—including insufficient food and limited access to showers—DeSantis dismissed the criticism, sarcastically saying detainees were hoping for “toasted hoagies.”

Florida is also seeking federal approval to appoint Judge Advocate General officers as immigration judges at the site to speed up deportation proceedings.