Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is converting the dormant Baker Correctional Institution in rural north Florida into a federal immigration detention center he has branded the “Deportation Depot.” State officials say the site will open within weeks, offering 1,300 beds with the ability to scale to 2,000, and will cost roughly $6 million to restart. The facility will be run by the Florida Division of Emergency Management and staffed largely by the state’s National Guard, with Tallahassee expecting reimbursement from the Trump administration once operations begin. The new complex is the second pillar of Florida’s fast-growing detention network. A separate 3,000-bed encampment on an Everglades airstrip, nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz,” has drawn multiple lawsuits alleging harsh conditions and lack of legal access. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Rodolfo Ruiz dismissed several Fifth-Amendment claims in that case but transferred remaining First-Amendment questions to Florida’s middle district. Construction at the southern site remains partially frozen under an earlier environmental injunction issued by Judge Kathleen Williams. Residents of Baker County — a conservative community of fewer than 30,000 people — are split over the prospect of housing thousands of detainees. Some welcome the economic activity; others fear escapes and question the fairness of detaining migrants whose only offense is an immigration violation. The district lacks a permanent law-enforcement presence, amplifying safety concerns voiced at recent public meetings. Political fallout has already reached the state GOP. Immigration-themed shirts and hats marketed online with a "Deport Depot" logo mimicking Home Depot’s branding were removed on 19 August after the retailer objected to unauthorized use of its trademark. Party officials said the items were intended to spotlight the detention initiative, but the episode underscores the commercial and reputational risks surrounding Florida’s expanding role in federal immigration enforcement.