Overview

• The plan was unveiled June 23 under a state effort led by Governor Ron DeSantis to secure locations for temporary immigrant detention.
• Uthmeier estimates that renovations could be completed in 30 to 60 days, making the center operational quickly.
• Designers envision using the surrounding Everglades and its population of roughly 200,000 alligators and pythons to deter escapes without extensive fencing.
• The proposal has earned endorsement from the Florida Republican Party but faces organized pushback from environmental groups such as Friends of the Everglades.
• Critics warn that repurposing the long-abandoned Everglades JetPort could threaten delicate ecosystems and revisit environmental disputes dating back to the site’s 1968 origin.