NCFL WE WON!!! Starke Concentration Camp is on pause - for now. Indivisible Actions— April 22, 2026
Volume 2, Issue 13
In this issue:
Report back from Bradford County BOCC mobilization:2026-04-16
NCFI meeting: Wed, April 22th, 6:30 - 8:00 pm In person
Life South Blood Center, at 1221 NW 13th St, Gainesville, FL 32601
Protestor Safety Training: Wed, April 22th, 8:00 - 9:00 pm
Communities Not Cages National Day of Action
April 25th 10:30 am - 12:30 pm, at Super Walmart in Starke
14500 US-301 S, Starke, FL 32091
STOP Concentration Camps in North Florida - join our statewide Indivisible Stop CC action team: Join this Signal group or sign up to fight a Starke Internment Camp!
Report back from Bradford County BOCC mobilization:2026-04-16
🛑 Bradford County ICE Facility Plan Put on Pause
📅 April 16th Meeting Recap
A plan to bring an ICE detention center to Bradford County was paused Thursday. Over 120 residents packed the commission meeting to oppose the proposal to lease the Douglas Building for a 3,000-bed facility.
🚩 Key Concerns Raised:
⚠ Environmental contamination at the site
🏘 Strain on local resources for a small town (~6,000 residents)
🛡 Human rights abuses and moral responsibility
💰 Economic impact on local businesses
🚨 Facility management concerns: Residents do not believe the sheriff can maintain control
🔶 Excessive Strain on water, especially with draught & low water levels
🧯Concerns for secrecy and rush to a decision
👥 Community Mobilization:
Residents came from Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Palatka, and Gainesville, and Archer, mobilized by North Central Florida Indivisible and allied groups such as:
North Central Florida Indivisible, Indivisible Mandarin, Indivisible St. Johns
Singing Resistance, Baker Interfaith Friends, Badass Feminists
Bradford County Democrats, Putnam County Democrats
DSA, YDSA, Solidarity UF
🗣 Resident Voices:
Jyoti Parmar: “We are your neighbors, your friends, your family. What we do affects you and your decisions affect all of us”
Other residents echoed this sentiment, emphasizing values, safety, and fairness. Many noted the process felt rushed and residents’ concerns weren’t fully addressed.
Commissioners voted to table the proposal and explore alternatives, including private development
Commissioner Kenny Thompson: “We are rushing, getting rushed into something that I can’t vote on, not at this time.”
Commissioner Diana Andrews: “Last week, that’s exactly what we said, that we needed to review all options.”
Commissioner Chris Dougherty attempted a motion to approve the lease, but Chair Spooner clarified no motion had been called
At this point, audience members report that sheriff became belligerent and cursed under his breath at Chair Spooner.
Commissioner Andrews stated that supports ICE, but she did not support an ICE facility at this site, and would have preferred the New River building.
📣 Next Steps:
The commission tabled a decision. We must keep the pressure on Bradford County.
Join us for these upcoming actions:
✅ Wednesday, 4/22 at 6:30 pm in person at the Life South Blood Center in Gainesville Fl, for an NCFl-I general meeting with a discussion and Brainstorming of Starke Detention Center.
✅ Saturday 4/25 at 10:30 am: Protest at the Super Walmart in Starke for a nationwide day of action against detention centers.
✅ Next Wednesday 4/29 at 6:30 pm for a North Central Florida Indivisible meeting at Life South Blood Center at 1221 NW 13th St, Gainesville, FL 32601 and help us prepare for Sheriff Gordon’s next steps, as well as strategize to stop ICE’s Concentration Camps in North Central Florida.
ACTION: No Concentration Camps in Florida!
If you would like to oppose building camps in Florida, join Indivisible Statewide Solidarity. Join this Signal group or sign up to fight a Starke Internment Camp!
No Concentration Camps in Florida!
If you would like to oppose building camps in Florida, join Indivisible Statewide Solidarity. Join this Signal group or sign up to fight a Starke Internment Camp!
Whether these places are called detention centers, internment camps, concentration camps, or “[Amazon] Prime, but with human beings,” we will oppose them.
Not here. Not now. Not ever.
keep up the pressure. a local concentration camp will be a burden on our conscience long after MAGA is swept away!