DeSantis defends Florida's role in federal immigration enforcement, cites sanctioned facilities and local cooperation
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Summary
Responding to questions about a federal hearing in Fort Myers, Governor DeSantis said Florida is supporting federal immigration processing at state sites (including a facility called "Alligator Alcatraz" and a Baker County depot), that on-site immigration judges are processing cases rapidly, and that state law requires local cooperation with DHS.
When asked about a federal hearing in Fort Myers involving DHS and immigrant groups, Governor DeSantis said Florida is working with the federal government to operate sanctioned facilities and is being reimbursed for state support. "The facilities are sanctioned by the feds, reimbursed by the feds," he said, adding that DHS determines placement and that state personnel handle processing and staging once DHS assigns individuals to facilities.
DeSantis identified facilities by reference (including a site he called "Alligator Alcatraz" and a depot in Baker County), said immigration judges are on-site at those locations to enable "hopefully rapid processing," and described flights run from nearby airports to remove individuals whose cases are decided against them. "If you don't have a right to be here, we should... determine that quickly and finally, and then repatriate you to your home country," he said.
The governor said Florida passed legislation in a special session that places a duty on state and local law enforcement to assist DHS with interior enforcement, and that the state has authority to suspend or remove local officials who refuse to cooperate. He cited an apprehension figure of "almost 20,000" taken by Florida local and state law enforcement and said the state has coordinated deportation flights in the period since the policy ramped up.
DeSantis also warned about organized attempts to impede operations and said some demonstrators engaged in activity that went beyond protest and sought to "sabotage" enforcement; he framed the state's actions as a response to those risks. The comments were delivered at a public event and did not announce new executive orders or specific new deployments beyond the description of ongoing cooperation with DHS.
The transcript includes no in-event federal response or local-official rebuttal to the governor's figures or claims. Questions mentioned a federal hearing and groups including the ACLU; the governor said DHS reimburses Florida and that operational details are coordinated with the federal agencies involved.