By Devon M. Sayers, CNN

(CNN) — Deportation flights from the makeshift South Florida immigration detention facility dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” have begun, the state’s governor said.

“What has been done here has been remarkable,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said Friday at a news conference at the site.

Florida built the temporary immigration detention center in eight days deep in the Everglades, less than 50 miles west of President Donald Trump’s resort in Miami.

“We have already had a number of flights in the last few days,” DeSantis said.

“We now have capacity for a couple of thousand. We can expand that as demand is there,” he added.

CNN Priscilla Alvarez contributed to this report

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