‘Deport Depot’ Merch Doesn’t Sit Well With Home Depot
An attempt by the Florida Republican Party to raise funds through controversial merchandise hit a wall last week after Home Depot objected to its branding being used without permission. The GOP’s new line of hats, T-shirts, and mugs—labeled “The Deport Depot” in bold, orange-stenciled text—was quickly pulled after the home improvement giant raised concerns.
“We don’t allow any organization to use our branding, and we did not approve this use,” a Home Depot spokesperson told The Washington Post.
The merchandise rollout came just after Governor Ron DeSantis unveiled plans to convert Baker Correctional Institution in northern Florida into a new migrant detention facility, dubbed the “Deportation Depot.” The $6 million project is expected to house up to 1,300 detainees and follows the earlier opening of another facility near Everglades National Park. That $450 million center—nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz”—currently holds around 1,000 people and has faced backlash over reported poor conditions, including leaky tents, mosquito infestations, and limited access to clean water.
State Representative Anna V. Eskamani, a Democrat, said she alerted Home Depot to the merchandise. While she welcomed its removal, she added, “It doesn’t address the offensive and arrogant behavior of the anti-immigrant agenda.”
The Florida GOP has also marketed items referencing “Alligator Alcatraz” as part of its fundraising efforts. Immigrant rights groups have criticized both nicknames as insensitive and dehumanizing.
Home Depot, meanwhile, has previously been drawn into immigration enforcement debates, notably during past Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids at its stores in Los Angeles.
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