DeSantis: DHS started flying illegal immigrants out of Florida's 'Alligator Alcatraz'

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said Friday that the Department of Homeland Security has started flying illegal immigrants out of his state's "Alligator Alcatraz" detention facility.

"I'm pleased to report that those flights out of Alligator Alcatraz by DHS have begun," DeSantis said, Fox News reported. "The cadence is increasing. We've already had a number of flights, in the last few days, we've had hundreds of illegals [that] have been removed from here."

"This provides an ability to enhance the mission, to increase the number and frequency of deportations. And so what's been done here has really been remarkable," he added.

"The whole purpose is to make this be a place that can facilitate increased frequency and numbers of deportations of illegal aliens, and that is the goal. And one of the reasons why this was a sensible spot is because you have this runway that's right here. You don't have to drive them an hour to an airport. You go a couple thousand feet and they can be on a plane and out of here," DeSantis also said.

"This airport is able to accept commercial-sized aircraft and conduct both, both day and nighttime operations," he noted.

DeSantis didn't say how many flights have occurred or where they flew to.