Gov. Ron DeSantis said Friday that deportation flights by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security out of the Everglades detention center have begun with about 100 detainees transferred out of the country.
Speaking at a more than an hour-long media briefing at what has been dubbed Alligator Alcatraz Friday morning, DeSantis said the state is looking forward to increasing the removals.
"I think you're going to see the cadence on these flights, start to pick up. Obviously, honestly, to get to where we were, the beginning of this month and now have flights leaving already with a with a facility that's been built out. That's incredible," he said.
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DeSantis said there has been 100 "full" deportations, meaning to other countries, as well as "many others" to other states.
"There have been 100 folks that have fully been deported, and there have been many 100 that have been exited this facility ... to be deported by the federal government. And look, I think (to) a lot of people, getting them out of Florida is a huge thing," he said. "I want it to be where illegals are here there's an aggressive processing and an aggressive deportation schedule. That's what you're seeing starting to occur here down at alligator Alcatraz. And when there's demand for that beyond here up there, then we're happy to be able to respond accordingly."
Garrett J. Ripa, ICE Field Office Director for Florida, confirmed that number as well: "It's the governor's vision, and it's our determination to make that happen. We've already started to facilitate that. This week, we've had two or three removal flights, and we'll continue to have those removal flights. Up to 100 individuals who are illegally present in the state of Florida have already been removed from the United States, and again, we will continue to do that and utilize this facilities to the fullest potential."
The governor stressed that those efforts will be ramped up, especially given an infusion of funding from the Department of Homeland Security.
DeSantis, responding to a question about detainees possibly being at the center incorrectly, also said that only those detainees who were on final removal order were at the center.
"I can tell you DHS is sending people who they actually absolutely believe are here illegally and are subject to deportation, right? There's not a person here that is not on the final removal," he said. "So everybody here is already on a final removal order. So in that situation, to have a family member say they have the proper credentials when they've already been ordered to be removed through the process shows you that that's not accurate."
Criticisms of lack of legal representation was addressed by Department of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie who said that issues with legal representation for detainees had been worked out.
"We should have our first set of on site legal representation no later than Monday," he said. "We're scheduled to go with that almost 24/7, if, if we need to. We had some technology issues. We have now worked those things out, and we should be starting that on Monday."
DeSantis also said that the future vision is deputizing state officers, including National Guard judge advocates, to be immigration judge on site to move forward with the processing quickly and increase the numbers. He said the state is working very closely with the Department of Justice.
Those speaking at the briefing also stressed that undocumented immigrants should self-deport using the Customs and Border Patrol Self-Deportation app before they are brought to the Everglades center.
Florida State Board of Immigration Enforcement Executive Director Larry Keefe said "It is my strong recommendation to you that if you do not take up Secretary Noem on the CBP home option to return home, that you will very likely be in a place just like this, if not this place, and you will be here for the entire duration of the time that you are exhausting your due process rights. You will not be living freely in our communities while you're awaiting the due process to take place for years or months. So I strongly recommend to you, you consider those things. You inform yourself, make the move on CBP, home before you are arrested."
Blaise Ingoglia, the newly named state Chief Financial Officer, also urged urged undocumented immigrants to leave and not return.
"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," Ingoglia said. "I make no apologies for saying illegal immigration is a scourge on this country. It needs to stop. It needs to stop now, and if there's any illegal immigrant listening to my voice right now, self deport. Use the app. We will get you home. Do not come here, because you will remove. Be removed if you want to come here, come here legally. Come here the right way."
The state officials attending the briefing also decried criticisms and efforts by Democrats and others who have lodged protests and claims about maltreatment and conditions at the center.
Guthrie, responding to charges of lack of medical care, said the facility has full medical care, including 24/7 clinic and pharmacy, indoor and outdoor, recreational space, laundry, legal and clergy services, air conditioned, detention, housing units.
"I'll say again, either meet or exceed the higher standard, whatever that is, whether it's Florida standard or national standard, we meet or exceed the higher standard," he said.
Additionally, Guthrie said environmental concerns were not an issue as there had been more flights in and out of the facility before it was built.
"As we have issues with environment, all of a sudden, (the governor is tearing up the environment. There are over 100 flights a day coming in and out of this facility. There's much less than 100 flights a day coming in out of this facility. Now, with the airstrip infrastructure already in place, this location has made it even easier for us to coordinate deportation flights directly on site," Guthrie said.
Journalists attending the briefing were not allowed to tour the facility and were trucked in and out of the site by transport buses.
In the wake of the governor's briefing, conservation and environmental groups criticized the information released and cautioned that damage was, indeed, being done to a critical environmental area.
“This Everglades abomination is growing like a cancer, endangering sensitive waters and wildlife, and DeSantis and Homeland Security are to blame,” said Elise Bennett, Florida and Caribbean director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “We will continue to do everything in our power to put a stop to this reckless and cruel scheme before it's too late.”
She said that with confirmation that flights are being conducted by the Department of Homeland Security it shows without a doubt that the federal government is involved with the operation of the environmentally destructive detention center.
“The governor’s unconvincing damage-control tour only underscores the dire threats posed by this mass detention camp in the heart of the Everglades,” said Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglade, another group that is part of the lawsuit against the center. “Jet fuel is being trucked into the site, human sewage is being trucked out, and at least 20 acres of new pavement have been laid — all without the legally required environmental impact analysis. This is an Everglades catastrophe unfolding before our eyes, which is why we’ve taken legal action.”
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