Florida plans thousands of new immigration detention places south of I-4

Florida is considering a broad network of temporary detention centers to expand the state’s capacity to hold undocumented immigrants and support federal deportation operations.

The proposed facilities would be placed in several parts of the state, including strategically selected sites along the Interstate 4 corridor. The plan contemplates quickly activated complexes built with reinforced tents, trailers and emergency modular structures. They would have to meet standards required by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

A previous Florida proposal to the federal government said the facilities could hold up to 10,000 detainees. The current request for information does not establish a final capacity.

The initiative follows the closure of the Everglades detention center in June 2026. Authorities moved detainees to other facilities and began dismantling the complex. The model has faced budgetary, legal and environmental controversy. Construction and initial operating contracts for the former Everglades site exceeded $245 million, while civil rights and environmental groups filed legal actions over detention conditions, access to legal representation and environmental effects.

A request for information issued by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and the Florida Highway Patrol closed on August 10, according to My Florida Market Place. The administrative process indicates that state law enforcement agencies are directly involved in designing the proposed detention camps.