Gov. Ron DeSantis said Florida is operating multiple deportation facilities and has directed state action to assist federal immigration enforcement, including a 1,500‑bed facility near Jacksonville, and a facility he called “Alligator Alcatraz.” DeSantis spoke about those steps during remarks in Dallas, Texas.

DeSantis, the governor of Florida, said the state continues deportations despite court challenges. “It’s not closed. We’re still doing it. We still have detainees. Deportations are are are continuing,” he said. He also described an additional facility in Baker County that he said will hold about 1,500 beds and a planned facility in Florida’s Panhandle that he referred to as a “Panhandle pokey.”

The governor said he called a special session of the Florida Legislature to require state and local law enforcement to assist the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in enforcement and deportation operations. DeSantis said the package initially drafted by House leaders would have removed the governor’s authority and transferred enforcement responsibilities to other state officials; he said he vetoed that legislation and returned with a measure to “make sure that Florida was the leader in immigration enforcement.”

DeSantis credited Tom Homan, a federal immigration official he mentioned by name, and state officers for carrying out deportation operations and processing detainees. He also said Florida’s effort is coordinated with federal priorities, and that states and local agencies must provide detention and processing capacity that federal authorities require to carry out removals.

Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins, who spoke after DeSantis, said Florida is “leading from the front with 287(g), holding people accountable.” Collins, a former Green Beret who the governor introduced as having helped lead on enforcement, said the state’s actions support the federal administration’s immigration priorities.

Why it matters: DeSantis framed Florida’s enforcement steps as necessary to support federal deportation efforts and to respond to what he described as an “open border” at the national level. The governor described both legal challenges in state courts and a legislative fight over how enforcement powers should be structured.

What remains unspecified: DeSantis used informal names for facilities (“Alligator Alcatraz,” “Panhandle pokey”) and provided a bed count for the facility near Jacksonville; he did not provide addresses, operating agency names, contractual details, or specific statutory citations for the state laws he said were enacted. He also did not provide text of the legislation he said he vetoed or later signed. DeSantis said he expects appeals and litigation but did not provide timelines or court filings.

Speakers quoted in this article: Gov. Ron DeSantis; Lt. Gov. Jay Collins.