President Donald Trump has announced plans for the construction of a migrant detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, with the capacity to accommodate up to 30,000 individuals.
The official stated that the facility at the US Navy base in Cuba, distinct from its high-security military prison, is intended to accommodate “the worst criminal illegal aliens threatening the American people.”
Guantanamo Bay has historically served as a detention facility for immigrants, a practice that has drawn criticism from various human rights organizations.
On Wednesday, Tom Homan, designated as Trump’s “border tsar,” announced plans to expand the existing facility, which will be operated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The official stated that migrants could be taken directly to that location following their interception at sea by the US Coast Guard, emphasizing that the “highest” detention standards would be implemented.
The cost of the facility remains uncertain, as does the timeline for its completion.
The Cuban government promptly denounced the proposal, alleging that the United States engages in torture and unlawful detention on what it describes as “occupied” territory.
In a significant move, Trump announced the signing of the Laken Riley Act, a new law mandating that undocumented immigrants arrested for theft or violent crimes must remain in custody while awaiting trial.
Last week, Congress approved a bill named after a Georgia nursing student who was tragically murdered by a Venezuelan migrant the previous year, marking an early legislative victory for the administration.
During a signing ceremony held in the East Room of the White House, Trump announced that the newly issued executive order regarding Guantanamo would direct the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security to “begin preparing” the 30,000-bed facility.
“Some of them are so problematic that we lack confidence in the countries to manage them, as we fear their return,” he stated regarding migrants. “The decision has been made to transfer them to Guantanamo, a facility known for its stringent conditions and challenges associated with release.”
Trump stated that the facility is set to double the United States’ capacity for detaining undocumented migrants.
The United States has utilized a facility in Guantanamo, referred to as the Guantanamo Migrant Operations Centre (GMOC), for decades, spanning multiple administrations from both the Republican and Democratic parties.
A 2024 report from the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) alleges that the government is secretly detaining migrants in “inhumane” conditions for an indefinite period after their capture at sea.
The GMOC has primarily served as a facility for migrants rescued at sea, and it has recently come under scrutiny following a Freedom of Information request from the American Civil Liberties Union, seeking the release of records about the site.
The Biden Administration clarified that the location “is not a detention facility, and none of the migrants there are detained.”
The Trump administration, however, asserts that the proposed expanded facility is explicitly designed to function as a detention center.
Reports indicate that the administration plans to request funding from Congress to expand the current detention facility. This move is expected to be included in a spending bill that Republicans are currently drafting.
During a press briefing at the White House, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem responded to reporters’ inquiries, stating that the funds would be distributed via “reconciliation and appropriations.”
For decades, the military prison at Guantanamo has been the site of detention for individuals captured by US forces following the September 11 attacks in 2001.
At its height, the facility housed hundreds of inmates, and multiple Democratic presidents, including Barack Obama, have pledged to shut it down. A total of 15 prisoners are currently detained at the facility.
The announcement regarding the facility’s expansion has drawn immediate criticism from the Cuban government. Since Fidel Castro’s rise to power in 1959, Cuba has consistently labeled Guantanamo Bay as “occupied” and has condemned the presence of a US naval base on the island.
“In a shocking act of brutality, the newly formed US government has declared its intention to detain thousands of forcibly expelled migrants at the Guantanamo naval base, situated in what is widely regarded as illegally occupied Cuban territory. This facility is alarmingly close to notorious prisons associated with torture and unlawful detention,” Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel stated on X.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez criticized the announcement, stating it demonstrated “contempt for the human condition and international law.”
