Never Again: The History of Internment Camps and the Alarming Parallels at Camp Blanding
Introduction
History has shown us that when fear and prejudice fuel government policies, the results are catastrophic. Today, we face a critical moment as a proposal emerges to build an immigrant detention center—an internment camp—at Camp Blanding in Florida. This decision, if allowed to proceed, would mark a return to one of the darkest chapters of human history. We must act now.
This post will explore the troubling history of internment camps around the world, the role Camp Blanding has played in this history, and the disturbing parallels we see today with the U.S. immigration detention system. By understanding the past, we can find the courage to stop it from repeating.
Camp Blanding’s Troubling History of Internment
Camp Blanding, located in Starke, Florida, has a history that includes its use as a detention site during World War II. Over 4,000 individuals, including German prisoners of war (POWs) and “enemy aliens,” were detained there.1 2Many of these detainees were civilians, forcibly removed from their homes due to fear and suspicion—not because of any crimes they committed. The base served as a holding center for 343 Japanese, German, and Italian immigrant residents in the United States, who were interned by the federal government as potential security risks. 3
While Camp Blanding didn’t house Japanese Americans officially, it was part of a broader U.S. network of internment camps that operated during the war. The most infamous example remains the Japanese-American internment, where over 120,000 people of Japanese descent—most of them American citizens—were forcibly relocated and incarcerated in camps, solely because of their ancestry. In the book, Judgment Without Trial - Tetsuden Kashima cites documents noting five “Japanese” also interned there. 4
The connection is clear: Camp Blanding has a history of serving as a tool for unjust detention. And now, it risks becoming part of yet another shameful chapter in U.S. history.5
Internment Camps in World History: Lessons We Must Not Forget
The use of internment camps is not unique to the United States. Around the world, governments have used camps to control and punish marginalized groups. The results have always been disastrous:
Nazi Concentration Camps
The Nazi regime systematically detained millions—including Jews, Roma, and political dissidents—in concentration camps. These camps became synonymous with genocide and dehumanization, culminating in the horrors of the Holocaust.6Japanese-American Internment Camps
Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. government forcibly relocated Japanese Americans to camps, claiming it was necessary for national security. Decades later, the government admitted this policy was driven by racism and fear, not evidence.7 8British Camps in the Boer War
During the Boer War, the British detained thousands of civilians in camps, where disease and starvation claimed untold lives.Soviet Gulags
Under Stalin, millions were interned in brutal labor camps, victims of political purges and paranoia. 9
What do these examples have in common? They all started with fear, propaganda, and the dehumanization of a specific group—tools that allowed governments to strip away rights and justify atrocities.
Immigration Detention: A Modern-Day Internment System
Today, the U.S. immigration detention system mirrors these historical patterns in alarming ways. Detention centers are modern internment camps, where immigrants—many of whom are fleeing violence and persecution—are treated as criminals. Families are separated, children are placed in cages, and asylum seekers are met with hostility instead of compassion. 10 11
The proposal to build a detention center at Camp Blanding is part of this larger system. If constructed, it will represent yet another step toward institutionalized cruelty, where people seeking safety are punished simply for existing.
Why This Matters Now
The language surrounding immigration today echoes the same dehumanizing rhetoric used in past internments. Immigrants are labeled as “invaders,” “criminals,” or “threats.” This fear-driven narrative is designed to justify policies that strip away their humanity and convince the public that such measures are necessary.
But make no mistake: detention is not about safety. It’s about fear and control. It’s about scapegoating vulnerable people to advance political agendas. 12
The Parallels Between Past and Present
The proposed detention center at Camp Blanding is not an isolated policy decision. It’s part of a larger historical pattern:
Japanese-American Internment
Just as Japanese Americans were labeled as threats during World War II, immigrants today are being vilified as criminals and burdens on society. Both narratives rely on fear to justify mass detention.13 14Nazi Germany
Hatred, fear, and dehumanization allowed the Nazis to carry out their atrocities. The rhetoric we hear today about immigrants—branding them as dangerous “others”—is disturbingly similar. 15Soviet Gulags
Detaining individuals without just cause, stripping them of freedom, and treating them as enemies of the state were hallmarks of the Soviet detention system. We see echoes of this in the U.S. immigration system today. 16
History has shown us where these actions lead. Have we learned nothing?
Why We Must Act Now
The construction of a detention center at Camp Blanding is not just a local issue—it’s a moral crisis. If we allow this to happen, we are complicit in the continuation of a system that dehumanizes, traumatizes, and punishes people for seeking refuge.
We must ask ourselves:
When has vilifying a group of people ever led to a better society?
What kind of nation do we want to be?
Will we rise to defend human rights, or will we stand by and let history repeat itself?
This is not just about policy. It’s about our humanity. It’s about whether we will look back on this moment with pride or with shame.
Take Action: How You Can Help
Share this article. Spread the word about what’s happening at Camp Blanding and the dangerous precedent it sets.
Contact your representatives. Demand that they oppose the construction of this detention center.
Attend protests. Show up in person to demonstrate your opposition to these policies.
Challenge the narrative. Speak out against the dehumanizing language used to justify these actions.
Support immigrant rights organizations. Donate your time, money, or resources to groups fighting for justice.
Conclusion: History Is Watching
The proposed detention center at Camp Blanding is not just another facility—it’s a symbol of the choice we face as a society. Will we learn from history, or will we allow fear and prejudice to guide us once again?
We must act now. History is watching us. The future will judge us by what we do—or fail to do—today.
Let us be the ones who said “Never Again,” and meant it.