In a significant development in U.S. immigration policy, the first military flight carrying migrants has landed at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. According to the Defense Department, ten individuals classified as “high-threat” are now housed in vacant detention facilities at the naval base. This action follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump, directing the federal government to prepare the U.S. military installation to accommodate up to 30,000 migrants.
The executive order, signed on January 29, 2025, mandates the expansion of the Migrant Operations Center at Guantanamo Bay to its full capacity. The memorandum instructs the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security to collaborate in readying the facility for large-scale detention operations. The administration’s stated goal is to detain high-priority criminal aliens whom the U.S. does not trust to be held in their countries of origin.
The recent flight marks the first instance of migrants being transported to Guantanamo Bay under this directive. The individuals were flown from Fort Bliss, Texas, to the naval base, which has historically been used to detain foreign terrorism suspects. The base is now being repurposed to house migrants deemed particularly dangerous.
This move has sparked significant controversy and criticism from human rights organizations and former detainees. Critics argue that utilizing Guantanamo Bay for migrant detention is a moral failure, drawing parallels to the facility’s history of torture and indefinite detention. They warn that criminalizing immigrants in this manner echoes past justifications for unlawful detentions and urge the international community to oppose the use of Guantanamo for migrant detention.
The administration’s plan includes expanding the existing Migrant Operations Center to accommodate up to 30,000 individuals. This facility is distinct from the high-security prison used for foreign terrorism suspects and has been criticized for its secretive nature and poor conditions. The move accompanies the Laken Riley Act, which mandates the detention of undocumented immigrants charged with theft-related crimes.
As the situation develops, legal challenges are anticipated, with potential detainees arguing against due process violations and inadequate conditions. Legal experts predict significant litigation, referencing Supreme Court cases related to past detainee treatments.
