Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and federal border czar Tom Homan announced the successful closure of the temporary immigration detention facility in Ochopee, Florida, on Thursday. The state-run facility, which operated for exactly one year, achieved its strategic objectives by processing and deporting 21,000 illegal immigrants. The closure represents a major victory for the state’s proactive law enforcement strategy and the broader national effort to secure the homeland.

Erected in the summer of 2025 at a mostly defunct municipal training airport in the Everglades, the temporary facility was engineered to address a severe national security and public safety crisis. By bypassing standard bureaucratic delays, the state established an efficient, high-speed deportation hub. With direct access to runways, the site allowed law enforcement to execute frequent deportation flights, ensuring that individuals who entered the country illegally were swiftly returned to their countries of origin.

During its operations, the facility cost approximately $1.2 million per day. While open-border advocates criticized the expenditure, state officials framed the cost as a necessary and highly effective investment in public safety. By funding the surge locally, Florida successfully prevented thousands of undocumented individuals from being released into local communities, saving taxpayers from the long-term social and economic costs associated with unchecked illegal immigration.

Governor DeSantis emphasized that the facility fulfilled its exact design parameters, making Florida and the nation significantly safer. To counter criticisms from activist groups, the governor highlighted the dangerous profiles of many of the individuals processed at the site. He cited ten specific detainees who possessed massive criminal records, including charges for the sexual assault of minors, drug trafficking, fraud, domestic battery, and multiple DUIs, who would have otherwise been released onto Florida's streets.

Federal border czar Tom Homan joined DeSantis in Ochopee to praise the state's decisive action. Homan vigorously rejected allegations of detainee mistreatment raised by left-wing advocacy groups, characterizing the reports as a political hoax designed to undermine legitimate law enforcement. Homan noted that strong administrative enforcement has led to an unprecedented 97% reduction in illegal border crossings, which directly undermines the business model of violent cartels.

According to Homan, the dramatic reduction in illegal immigration has profound humanitarian benefits that critics ignore. Fewer illegal crossings mean fewer women are subjected to sexual assault by human smugglers during the arduous journey, fewer children perish in remote border regions, and less lethal fentanyl enters American neighborhoods to devastate families. He emphasized that targeting public safety and national security threats remains the administration's top priority.