# Florida Approves $250M for Immigration Debt Amid Delayed Report
- Medio: Orlando Ledger News (https://orlandoledgernews.com)
- URL: https://orlandoledgernews.com/noticia/florida-approves-250m-for-immigration-debt-amid-delayed-report
- Sección: Politics
- Autor: Orlando Ledger News Staff
- Publicado: 2026-09-12T09:40:25.837Z
> The Florida Legislature approved $250 million for immigration enforcement as the DeSantis administration submitted a long-delayed report on state debts for migrant detention centers, drawing sharp criticism over timing.

## Las claves

- Florida lawmakers approved $250M in emergency funds despite late submission of debt report
- Report due July 15 arrived Sept 11, just before the legislative vote took place
- State owes at least $417 million for immigration operations from last fiscal year

TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Legislature approved approximately $250 million in additional funding for disaster response and immigration enforcement efforts on Friday, a decision made just hours after the DeSantis administration submitted a long-delayed report detailing how it has spent emergency money. Senate Democratic Leader Lori Berman highlighted that the document, which was originally due by July 15, arrived only two months later on September 11, leaving lawmakers with insufficient time to review its contents before casting their votes.

### Timing and Transparency Concerns

The report from the Florida Division of Emergency Management revealed that the state has accumulated at least $417 million in unpaid invoices for immigration operations conducted during the last fiscal year. Of these debts, approximately 90% were related to immigration efforts rather than traditional natural disasters. Berman criticized the administration's handling of the situation, stating that staff had not been given the opportunity to analyze the report before the vote.

"This morning — this very morning — we received the report," Berman said during a joint Legislative Budget Commission meeting. She questioned whether lawmakers waited two months specifically to delay voting on the appropriation, accusing the administration of abusing emergency powers due to the lack of transparency and timely disclosure required for such significant financial decisions.

### Mounting Debts and Future Projections

The Florida Division of Emergency Management has promised at least $1.4 billion to vendors who constructed state-run migrant detention facilities, including the "Alligator Alcatraz" in Ochopee and the Deportation Depot in Baker County. The agency's report projected a worst-case scenario deficit of $1.5 billion by the end of this fiscal year if major storms strike the state, though it did not provide any best-case scenarios.

Independent calculations suggest the actual costs may be even higher than reported. Over the past year, the state has spent more than $630 million and still owes an additional $760 million on contracts alone. The largest outstanding debts are owed to portable toilet company Doodie Calls, which is waiting for $93 million of its contracted amount, and IRG Global Emergency Management, which faces a potential shortfall of roughly $214 million, as this newspaper reported in [Florida Delays Report on Immigration and Disaster Spending](/noticia/florida-delays-report-on-immigration-and-disaster-spending).

### Continued Emergency Spending

The commission also approved $8 million for National Guard pay to continue staffing the Deportation Depot in Baker County. Despite the mounting debts, the report indicated little intention from the state to slow down emergency spending on immigration. The division set a conservative projected estimate of $500 million for immigration-related spending in the current financial year running through mid-2027.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has extended his declaration of an immigration state of emergency more than 20 times since declaring it three years ago, allowing him to utilize disaster funds without immediate legislative approval. If he does not extend this authority again, the spending power would expire next Friday.
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Fuente original: https://orlandoledgernews.com/noticia/florida-approves-250m-for-immigration-debt-amid-delayed-report