Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Announces Immigrant Flights from Detention Facility

Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis shared that the Department of Homeland Security has started deportation flights from a facility dubbed the “Crocodile Alcatraz.”

“We’re pleased to inform you that the flights from Wannial Catraz are now underway, and we’ve seen an uptick in activity. There have already been several flights,” DeSantis remarked during a Friday address in South Florida.

When pressed for specifics about the number of deportations and the destination of the flights, Homeland Security Advisor Tricia McLaughlin provided a succinct response to Fox News Digital, stating, “We’re launching deportation planes.”

Under an emergency order, DeSantis has authorized the creation of an immigration detention center within a 30-square-mile area in the Everglades of Miami-Dade County.

This facility in Ochopee, previously an airport, has been converted with strong tent structures.

The Florida Emergency Management Department indicates the site can initially accommodate 2,000 detainees, with plans to eventually house 4,000 individuals.

“We’ve already seen many flights, and just in the past few days, hundreds of undocumented individuals have been removed from here,” DeSantis added.

“The main objective is to establish this location to boost the frequency and number of deportations for illegal immigrants,” he explained. “It’s practical because of the availability of the runway—there’s no need to drive for an hour; you can board a plane within moments.”

The governor also noted that the airport is equipped to handle commercial-sized aircraft for operations at any hour.