In a significant legal development, a federal court in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has issued a temporary restraining order preventing the Trump administration from transferring three Venezuelan migrants to the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba. These individuals, currently detained in New Mexico, were reportedly earmarked for transfer under the administration’s recent policy targeting specific groups of migrants for detention at Guantanamo.
The legal motion, filed by the Center for Constitutional Rights, the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico, and the Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center, argued that the detainees were wrongfully accused of affiliations with the Tren de Aragua gang. The filing emphasized the uncertainty and potential infringement on the detainees’ legal rights and access to counsel that such a transfer would entail. U.S. District Judge Kenneth J. Gonzales granted the temporary restraining order, acknowledging the concerns raised regarding due process and legal representation.
This legal action arises amidst the Trump administration’s broader initiative to expand the use of Guantanamo Bay for detaining migrants. On January 29, 2025, President Donald Trump signed a presidential memorandum directing the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security to prepare facilities at Guantanamo Bay to house up to 30,000 migrants. This move is part of a larger strategy to intensify immigration enforcement and expedite deportations.
The administration has already initiated the transfer of certain detainees to Guantanamo Bay. On February 4, 2025, a military aircraft transported approximately a dozen individuals from Fort Bliss, Texas, to the naval base in Cuba. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that these detainees included high-risk individuals, such as suspected gang members.
The decision to utilize Guantanamo Bay for migrant detention has sparked significant controversy. Critics argue that this policy echoes past abuses and inhumane conditions historically associated with the facility, particularly concerning detainees’ legal rights and the potential for indefinite detention without trial. Human rights organizations have expressed concerns about the lack of oversight and the suitability of Guantanamo Bay as a detention center for migrants.
The recent court ruling represents a legal challenge to the administration’s policy, highlighting the ongoing debate over immigration enforcement and the treatment of detainees. As the administration continues to implement its immigration agenda, further legal challenges and public scrutiny are anticipated.
