Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that a judge’s order closing the immigration detention center known as “Alligator Alcatraz” will not prevent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from continuing to deport immigrants without legal status.

Federal judge Kathleen Williams ordered the state of Florida and the Trump administration to halt all activities at the massive detention center located in the Big Cypress National Preserve, known as “Alligator Alcatraz,” and to schedule its dismantlement within 60 days.

“Big Cypress National Preserve was created to protect this area. Since then, every Florida governor, every Florida senator, and countless local and national political figures, including presidents, have publicly pledged their unequivocal support for the restoration, conservation, and protection of the Everglades. This Order does not more than meeting the basic requirements of the legislation designed to fulfill those promises,” he said.

Although this resolution seems to affect President Donald Trump’s plans to have large spaces where immigrants detained by authorities can be deposited while their deportation process is carried out, Governor Ron DeSantis downplayed it and pledged to continue arresting more immigrants.

“This will not deter us. We will continue working on deportations, advancing that mission. We are proud of the work our teams are doing and we will continue to deploy all available resources to identify, apprehend, and remove all those who seek to exploit our state and threaten our people. We knew this would likely happen and we will respond accordingly,” he indicated at a press conference.

Likewise, the Republican whose term expires next year assures that he has the resources to quickly set up more facilities elsewhere.

“We will not be discouraged. We are absolutely right about this. But I also want to point out that, due to the success of Alligator Alcatraz, there is demand for more. I announced that we will open another facility outside Jacksonville, in Baker County, and we will call it the Removal Depot," he emphasized.