Dozens Protest Planned 2,000-Bed Camp Blanding Immigration Facility Jacksonville

Community members and advocates in Northeast Florida are actively protesting Governor Ron DeSantis’s plan to convert Camp Blanding, a Florida National Guard training base, into an immigration detention center. Protesters, including the Jacksonville Immigrant Rights Alliance and local leaders like State Rep. Angie Nixon and Rev. Madison Hilt, condemned the plan as inhumane and warned it could repeat historical injustices; Camp Blanding was previously used during World War II to detain naturalized U.S. citizens suspected of being enemies. Nixon and others also criticized the allocation of funds toward detention facilities amid unmet community needs such as school closures and flooding issues. Despite protests and a recent lawsuit filed by lawmakers denied entry to inspect another detention site, state officials defend the facility as necessary for public safety and claim detainees’ rights will be protected, with promises of oversight and transparency. A major rally is planned for July 19 at Camp Blanding, where advocates intend to continue opposing the detention center. Governor DeSantis’s office dismissed the lawsuit as frivolous and invited lawmakers for a site tour to address concerns.