TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) – While the state prepares for its second immigration site, Gov. Ron DeSantis said the camp’s blatant location is still on standby.
Desantis announced this week. It does not occur until the current center reaches full capacity.
Meanwhile, there is still controversy with the first detention center, Wani Alcatraz, especially about the state’s promotion to self-report immigration.
According to federal and state officials, if an individual chooses to board a government-funded flight, they will have the opportunity to apply for re-entry later in the future.
“If you can go home yourself, why would you want to go through Crocodile Alcatraz?” DeSantis said at the site’s grand opening.
Gallery: Look inside the Alcatraz Crocodile
The immigrants who are being taken to the Crocodile Alcatraz property have the option of returning home on their own, or being detained and never allowing them to return to America again.
“If you break the law, there are consequences. We will deport you and you will never become a US citizen,” said Christie Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security.
While speaking at the new Immigration Detention Center with DeSantis and President Donald Trump, Noem pointed to a CBP Home app that allows illegal immigrants to voluntarily self-report.
“You don’t even go back here and work and pursue your American dreams. But if you decide to go now, go home and we will help make it easier. We will buy your plane tickets.
But who is eligible for this? According to the DHS website, non-criminal immigrants who live illegally in the United States, paroles who have expired legal status, and have lost temporary protections.
“If you offer a choice, why don’t you take cash incentives and get them back,” Sen. Jay Collins (R-Tampa) said.
Collins praises the option and calls it common sense.
“No one is abused. This is a simple facility to bring people back to the country they came from,” Collins said.
But House Democrats said self-denial policies are a threat intended to scare individuals and waive their rights.
“It’s a blackmail tactic, a pressure tactic to help people waive their rights to a legitimate process. It’s not America. It wasn’t us.”
Minority leader Driskel added that the entire facility is a waste of taxpayer dollars and that it needs to be closed.
“It’s not about having clean floors, it’s about what we built with Florida taxpayer dollars. We built cages to house people who clearly have no criminal history, despite the state telling them they’re doing that,” Driskel said.
Noem said he is in talks with other Republican governors after the Florida model, but those plans have yet to be rolled out for the state’s additional sites.
