US initiates migrant transfers to Guantanamo amid crackdown

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
4 Feb 2025 23:53

The base also has a long history of holding migrants.

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FILE - In this photo reviewed by US military officials, a building in Cuba carries the Spanish message "Republic of Cuba. Free American Territory," behind a gate marking the border with the US Guantanamo Bay naval base in Cuba, June 6, 2018. (AP)

The US government has started relocating detained migrants to the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba, marking a significant shift in immigration policy under President Donald Trump's administration. Officials confirmed the first flights departed Tuesday, sending a group of migrants to the facility historically associated with detaining terrorism suspects.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the move in an appearance on Fox Business, stating, "Today, the first flights from the United States to Guantanamo Bay with illegal migrants are underway." A defense official, speaking anonymously to AFP, detailed that the transport involved about a dozen detainees classified as "high-threat illegal aliens." These individuals, according to the source, will be held in the detention facility but kept separate from high-profile terrorism suspects.

A controversial holding facility

Guantanamo Bay is primarily recognized for its role in housing individuals accused of terrorism by the US, including alleged 9/11 plotters. However, the base also has a long history of holding migrants. During the 1990s, thousands of Haitian and Cuban asylum seekers were detained there, often for extended periods, before being repatriated.

The latest decision aligns with Trump's broader immigration enforcement strategy, which has included increased deportations and border security measures.

Last week, the president directed officials to prepare the base to accommodate up to 30,000 migrants.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the policy, describing Guantanamo as the "perfect place" for detaining individuals who enter the US unlawfully. During a recent visit to the US-Mexico border, he stated that the Pentagon will provide any necessary assets "to support the expulsion and detention of those in our country illegally."

Increased enforcement efforts

Since taking office for a second term, Trump has intensified efforts to curb "illegal" migration, ordering mass arrests and deportations. Thousands of undocumented migrants have been detained, and many have already been returned to countries such as Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, and Brazil. Trump has also threatened to impose severe sanctions on Colombia for refusing to accept deported individuals.

According to US Southern Command, approximately 300 military personnel are currently stationed at Guantanamo Bay to oversee "illegal alien holding operations." Officials have assured that detainees sent to the base will be kept in separate quarters from terrorism suspects, though human rights organizations have voiced concerns over potential rights violations and the conditions at the facility.