Trump administration revives plan to detain migrants at Guantanamo Bay

A U.S. military base once used to detain terrorism suspects is back in the spotlight — this time as part of a revived effort to hold migrants deported from the U.S. At the start of President Donald Trump’s second term, his administration began housing migrants at the overseas facility before being flown back.

Now, officials are pushing to dramatically expand that operation and use Guantanamo Bay to detain thousands more.

After returning to the White House, Trump issued an executive order outlining plans to use the base to hold “high-priority criminal” migrants who were residing in the U.S. illegally and awaiting deportation. The president then directed the Department of Defense to begin preparing Guantanamo Bay to detain at least 30,000 individuals.

Official documents outline proposal 

According to documents obtained by Politico, Trump administration officials are preparing to transfer at least 9,000 individuals to the U.S. military base in southeast Cuba.

Immigration officials began temporarily sending migrants to Guantanamo Bay in February, with hundreds held before being transferred out. 

According to Politico, newly obtained documents show that larger-scale transfers could begin as soon as this week, possibly by Wednesday, June 11. One of the documents notes that about 800 Europeans –– including one Austrian, 100 Romanians and 170 Russians –– are being considered. 

The documents say moving thousands of migrants to Guantanamo Bay is intended to ease the pressure on U.S. facilities, as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has increased its arrests to thousands each day.

Legal troubles pending against facility 

On March 1, the ACLU sued the Trump administration over the migrant transfers to the naval base. According to the civil rights organization, Guantanamo is one of the most notorious prisons used by the federal government, oftentimes so that it can operate in secrecy. 

Currently, 70 detainees are being held at Guantanamo Bay, where conditions have raised concern among advocates. The ACLU reports that detainees are facing food shortages and poor living conditions.

Since filing, the lawsuit has evolved into a class-action legal battle. Court documents explain that migrants were flown in by military aircraft and publicly displayed in handcuffs under military escort. For about three weeks, detainees weren’t allowed contact with lawyers, family members or the outside world.

The plaintiffs argue that the government violated their basic due process rights by denying them any legal access during that time. The ACLU states that the government has made some changes in response to the lawsuit, which include establishing limited phone access between attorneys and detainees. In an amended complaint, attorneys argue that in-person legal visits remain banned and scheduled calls don’t happen. 

History of Guantanamo Bay

In 1903, the U.S. signed a lease with Cuba to use the land as a naval base, a deal that still stands today. However, Guantanamo Bay, located on the southeastern tip of Cuba, has been under U.S. control since 1898, when American forces captured it during the Spanish-American War. 

The base became self-sufficient in the 1960s after Cuba, under Fidel Castro, cut off water and supplies during a period of rising tensions. Since then, Guantanamo has been used for everything from Navy operations and humanitarian aid to holding migrants and terrorism suspects.

After the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. government began using the facility to hold individuals accused of terrorism, drawing international scrutiny and legal challenges.