Washington, D.C. – The Trump administration is preparing to transfer thousands of undocumented migrants to the U.S. Naval base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, according to internal government documents obtained by POLITICO and The Washington Post. The documents indicate that approximately 9,000 individuals are currently being vetted for relocation, with transfers potentially beginning as early as this week.
The facility in question, the Migrant Operations Center at Naval Station Guantánamo Bay, was originally established in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks to detain individuals classified as unlawful enemy combatants. The center later drew widespread criticism for alleged human rights abuses and lack of legal oversight. Under the Obama administration, the number of detainees housed at the facility significantly declined amid efforts to phase out its use.
The Trump administration’s renewed focus on utilizing Guantánamo aligns with its broader agenda of aggressively targeting undocumented immigration. This would mark the first large-scale transfer of undocumented migrants to the facility under President Trump, following an executive order issued in the early days of his presidency. That order directed the Secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security to expand operations at the Migrant Operations Center to its full capacity.
The center is capable of holding up to 30,000 individuals. According to the documents reviewed by the media outlets, it would serve as a temporary holding site for undocumented migrants pending deportation to their countries of origin.
However, the plan is already facing legal scrutiny. A class-action lawsuit, Luna Gutierrez v. Noem, is currently pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Filed by a coalition of civil rights organizations, the lawsuit challenges the legality and constitutionality of detaining migrants at Guantánamo Bay. The plaintiffs cite the experiences of 10 current detainees, alleging inadequate food, unsanitary conditions, and rodent infestations at the facility.
The administration’s plan, which reportedly came together in recent days, may still be subject to revision, particularly in light of ongoing litigation and public opposition.
Excerpts from jurist.com article by Sofia Jenkins | U. Pittsburgh School of Law, US
