Florida agency says administrative error released two detainees from Deportation Depot, both returned

Florida authorities said an administrative mistake at a state detention facility led to the erroneous release of two detainees over the weekend, and both people were later returned to custody, the Florida Division of Emergency Management told the Washington Examiner.

The agency identified the location as the Deportation Depot in Sanderson and described the incident as the result of an administrative error. FDEM spokeswoman Stephanie Hartman told the Washington Examiner that both individuals were quickly located and returned to custody.

FDEM characterised the situation as not posing an ongoing threat to the public, according to the Washington Examiner account. The agency said it has launched a review into the incident to establish accountability and to prevent similar errors, the report said.

The facility that houses Deportation Depot occupies the former Baker Correctional Institution, the Washington Examiner noted. The Washington Examiner's article linked the Deportation Depot's role to processing people it described as illegal immigrants prior to transfer into the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The outlet quoted FDEM's spokeswoman rather than naming any line-level staff involved in the administrative actions that produced the bond releases.

Local and regional headlines from the Sun Sentinel, Tampa Bay Times, Sarasota Herald-Tribune and Tallahassee Democrat also reported that two detainees were mistakenly released and later recovered from the Deportation Depot; those headlines corroborate the central facts but do not add further detail beyond the Washington Examiner's text.

The Washington Examiner report did not provide names, ages, charges, or the precise procedures that failed in the administrative process. FDEM's statement to the Washington Examiner said the matter is under review; the agency framed the review as aimed at ensuring accountability and preventing similar incidents.

The report did not describe any disciplinary steps already taken or whether state law enforcement or federal immigration authorities opened a parallel inquiry, and it did not say how long the detainees were outside custody before being located.

For now, the documented record in the Washington Examiner article is limited to the agency's account: an administrative error led to two detainees being mistakenly released on bond from the Deportation Depot in Sanderson, both were quickly located and returned to custody, there is no ongoing public threat, and FDEM is reviewing the incident to ensure accountability.