Florida Construction News staff writer
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is defending plans to build a migrant detention facility in the Everglades and says the state may open a second site at Camp Blanding, a National Guard training center in North Florida.
“It’s important that we’re leading the way on this,” DeSantis said Wednesday at a press conference in Tampa.
The Everglades facility is being constructed at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in western Miami-Dade County and is expected to be operational by early July. It will house up to 5,000 individuals in tents, trailers and other temporary structures.
Construction is being fast‑tracked using emergency powers issued by the governor, enabling the state to seize control of the county-owned land without environmental review
DeSantis dismissed environmental concerns. “You’re talking about the guy that’s plowed how much money into Everglades restoration?” he said. “Why would I want to do anything that would harm that?”
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava has called for construction to pause until a full environmental review is completed. The state, citing emergency powers, has declined.
DeSantis insists the site will be temporary and cause “zero environmental impacts.” He said the state could eventually remove the airport and restore the area to natural Everglades.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said the facility could be completed within days and framed it as part of delivering “on the American people’s mandate for mass deportations.”
DeSantis also noted the site’s isolation makes it secure. “If someone escapes, there’s a lot of alligators you’re going to have to contend with — no one’s going anywhere,” he said.
