DeSantis justified building the center that he dubbed "Deportation Depot," by saying the Trump administration needs the additional capacity to hold and deport more immigrants.

Florida's governor announced Thursday that the new facility is to be built at the Baker Correctional Institution, a state prison about 43 miles west of Jacksonville, and is expected to house 1,300 immigration detention beds.

The second detention center will support the “Alligator Alcatraz” facility opened in South Florida in early July, state officials said.