A 400,000 square foot warehouse may soon be the location of Florida’s newest detention center. The large building is located on Transport Drive near Orlando, and is sparking strong feelings among locals. As of right now, this is the only location ICE agents are touring. If the deal goes through, many have concerns, including those of zoning, waste removal, permits, and the potential for housing detainees.
Representative Maxwell Frost and Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith oppose the idea. They’ve both called it “unacceptable” and described it as a “dangerous escalation.” Florida Representative Anna Eskamani also opposes the idea, citing immigration enforcement increasingly looking like “vigilante-style policing.”
ICE detention centers have caused controversy, intensified in recent weeks due to the questioning and disappearance of U.S. citizens. Advocacy groups are preparing to fight the detention center proposal in an attempt to drive back ICE’s presence in Florida. However, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is fully supportive of the potential purchase by the Department of Homeland Security. The governor remains committed to helping immigration enforcement, including new ICE facilities. While Florida currently has ICE processing centers in South Florida, this would be the first in Central Florida, close to a major city hub.
When asked, ICE Senior Advisor David Venturella has confirmed that their tour is “exploratory.” DHS is in the early stages of evaluating the building’s potential, and no decisions have been made yet. Even so, witnesses viewed approximately 30 ICE agents and federal contractors leaving the building following the tour. An interview with Venturella by Channel 9 indicates that no thought has gone into zoning or renovations for the property. Though its remote location, surrounded by woodland, loading docks, and drive-in bays have locals worried.
Florida’s General Public Is Raising Concerns
Locals on Reddit responded to the news with mixed feelings. “I live near there, and it kinda is the middle of nowhere. All that’s there is a prison, warehouses, and a rail line. Then it’s 5 miles through a road no one goes the speed limit on to suburbia and the power plant. That sounds like a nightmare scenario in the making,” one Reddit user says.
Another expresses fear, saying, “This is absolutely horrifying. I’m so scared for our city, especially with all the increased activity we’ve seen without this. I’m so worried for my partner, even going to work already, and she’s a natural-born citizen.”
Some responded to the presence of ICE, overall, saying, “Here’s the problem, this ain’t a political thing. This is a humanity thing. It doesn’t matter what your views on immigration are, because it’s affecting everyone.” Another replied, saying, “Well, Alligator Alcatraz has been operating again since October. I guess we could call this one the orlando singsing hilton.”
