Ron DeSantis unleashed one deportation program that has Democrats panicking

The Biden-Harris years left America’s immigration system in complete shambles.

Border states have been forced to step up where Washington, D.C. failed.

And Ron DeSantis unleashed one deportation program that has Democrats panicking.

First flights take off from “Alligator Alcatraz” as critics cry foul

The first deportation flights from Florida’s controversial immigration detention center dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” have begun taking off from the remote Everglades facility, Governor Ron DeSantis announced Friday during a press conference.

https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1948736523807195326

According to DeSantis, the Department of Homeland Security has successfully deported about 100 illegal aliens directly from the facility, while moving hundreds of additional detainees to other ICE processing centers including Louisiana.¹

The timing wasn’t coincidental – DeSantis strategically built this facility to send a clear message about Florida’s commitment to supporting President Trump’s immigration crackdown.

“This was never intended to be something where people are just held,” he said. “The whole purpose is to be a place that can facilitate increased frequency and numbers of deportations.”

Two dozen detainees chose to self-deport rather than wait for formal removal proceedings – a telling sign that the deterrent effect is already working.

Democrats scramble as Florida shows how border enforcement should work

The facility represents everything Democrats hate about effective immigration enforcement – it actually works.

Located at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in the heart of the Everglades, this detention facility features hurricane-resistant construction capable of withstanding winds up to 110 mph, along with climate-controlled housing, comprehensive medical services, recreation facilities, and regular meal service.³

https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1948765827177574417

State officials made it clear this isn’t some temporary political stunt. DeSantis wants immigration judges stationed on-site to speed up the deportation process even further.

“You’re going to see the numbers go up dramatically,” DeSantis promised, signaling that this is just the beginning of Florida’s aggressive push to clear out illegal aliens.⁴

The 2024 election results gave Republicans a “huge mandate” to finally solve the illegal immigration crisis once and for all, DeSantis noted – and Florida is leading by example.

Garrett Ripa from ICE’s Removal Operations division praised what he called a “whole of government approach” bringing together state, local, and federal agencies. He described their mission as tackling the “monumental task” of fixing the border mess left behind by Biden’s policies.⁵

Desperate legal attacks

The ACLU immediately ran to federal court claiming due process violations – apparently they think illegal aliens deserve better treatment than American citizens get in many facilities.

Meanwhile, environmental groups like Friends of the Everglades are suddenly worried about protecting swampland they’ve ignored for decades.⁶

Here’s what’s rich about this coordinated legal assault: these same organizations sat on their hands while Biden turned the entire southern border into a humanitarian disaster zone.

But now that Florida is actually enforcing immigration law, suddenly they’re concerned about “due process” and environmental impacts.

The hypocrisy is breathtaking.

Even some establishment Republicans are wringing their hands about the facility.

Former border official Mark Morgan criticized the Everglades location in a Fox News opinion piece, arguing that existing jail facilities with available bed space would be more cost-effective than constructing new detention centers.⁷

Missing the point entirely, Morgan suggested using existing jail space instead – completely ignoring the deterrent value of a purpose-built facility that sends an unmistakable message.

DeSantis calls out Democrat hypocrisy on immigration victims

DeSantis didn’t hold back when addressing the Democrats who “paraded” down to criticize Alligator Alcatraz earlier this month.

“I’ve never seen one of you show up to comfort an angel mom who’s lost a child to illegal alien crime,” DeSantis fired back at his critics. “I’ve never seen you raise any concern about the victims of illegal immigration.”⁸

That’s the real story the mainstream media won’t tell – while Democrats rush to defend the “rights” of illegal aliens, they ignore the American families destroyed by the crime and chaos that follows.

Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia made no apologies for the aggressive approach: “I’m not going to apologize for removing criminal illegal aliens from the United States, those who are harming our communities, effectuating drug trafficking, human trafficking, and ravaging our communities.”⁹

Ingoglia instructed any illegal aliens still in Florida to “immediately self deport and come here legally” if they want to avoid the same fate.

Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie became increasingly animated while rejecting what he called false narratives about facility conditions, emphasizing that the center includes sophisticated medical equipment and proper amenities.¹⁰

The detention center includes full medical facilities with X-ray and sonogram capabilities, prescription medication services, and proper recreational areas – far better conditions than many American homeless shelters.

The national blueprint

While other states wasted time wringing their hands about federal cooperation, DeSantis built a facility that can actually process and remove illegal aliens at scale.

According to Associated Press reporting, Florida has committed at least $245 million in taxpayer funds to establish and operate this facility – an investment that critics question but supporters argue pays dividends by removing individuals who burden public services and undermine community safety.¹¹

More importantly, the facility serves as a powerful deterrent – word travels fast in illegal alien communities when they know crossing into Florida means a one-way ticket to Alligator Alcatraz and then back to their home countries.

Democrat State Representative Anna Eskamani predictably attacked the operation as “damage control,” claiming the administration is “hiding contracts, information, and detainees from the public.”¹²

But Florida voters didn’t elect DeSantis to provide transparency reports to Democrat politicians – they elected him to secure the border and remove illegal aliens.

The facility’s nickname wasn’t chosen by accident. Just like the original Alcatraz prison, it’s designed to be a place no one wants to end up.

DeSantis is showing the rest of the country how serious immigration enforcement actually works – with purpose-built facilities, aggressive processing, and zero tolerance for the excuses that have paralyzed border security for decades.

Other Republican governors should be taking notes because Florida’s approach is about to become the national standard under President Trump’s second term.

¹ Amber Jo Cooper, “Alligator Alcatraz deportation flights of illegal aliens underway, DeSantis announces,” Florida News, July 25, 2025.

² Ibid.

³ Krystal Nurse, “First deportation flights leave Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ as lawsuits mount,” SAN, July 25, 2025.

⁴ Associated Press, “Deportation flights from Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ detention center have begun, Gov. DeSantis says,” July 26, 2025.

⁵ Cooper, “Alligator Alcatraz deportation flights of illegal aliens underway, DeSantis announces.”

⁶ Nurse, “First deportation flights leave Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ as lawsuits mount.”

⁷ Ibid.

⁸ Cooper, “Alligator Alcatraz deportation flights of illegal aliens underway, DeSantis announces.”

⁹ Ibid.

¹⁰ Jackie Llanos, “Florida Gov. DeSantis announces deportation flights out of ‘Alligator Alcatraz’,” Florida Phoenix, July 27, 2025.

¹¹ Nurse, “First deportation flights leave Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ as lawsuits mount.”

¹² Llanos, “Florida Gov. DeSantis announces deportation flights out of ‘Alligator Alcatraz’.”