The Trump administration made the decision to remove all undocumented immigrants from the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, effectively sidestepping the necessity for temporary court orders and addressing legal challenges regarding detention conditions and detainee rights. The Department of Justice maintained that detention at Guantanamo was meant to be "temporary, not indefinite," as reported by AP. By emptying the immigrant detention center, the need for emergency judicial measures, which had been demanded by human rights organizations, was eliminated. The government also assured that legal counsel access would remain available for those transferred.
In response to a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Center for Constitutional Rights, the Trump administration argued that immigrants detained at Guantanamo did not possess "the same constitutional protections as U.S. citizens" and, therefore, were not entitled to legal assistance on equal terms.
The Transfer of Immigrants and Temporary Closure of Detentions
The operation concluded on Thursday with the airlift of nearly 200 Venezuelan immigrants back to their homeland, effectively ending the immigrant presence at the controversial facility. However, satellite images have shown that the Base's facilities are being expanded, as revealed by Univision. Although initially intended to house prisoners of war and terrorism suspects, in recent years, Guantanamo has been used as a temporary detention center for immigrants with deportation orders.
In total, the government reported that 178 immigrants had been detained at the facility in recent weeks. Approximately one-third were classified as "low threat" due to a lack of serious criminal records and were housed in the "Migratory Operations Center," a less secure area of the facility. The remaining 128 immigrants, considered "high threat," were held in Camp IV, a maximum-security facility with a capacity for 175 individuals. Due to ongoing maintenance, the facility only housed 131 detainees at the time.
Criticism and Human Rights Advocacy
Human rights organizations criticized the detention conditions, claiming they violated the fundamental rights of the immigrants. ACLU attorneys and the Center for Constitutional Rights stated that detainees were in a "black box," isolated from their families, and without access to a fair trial or adequate legal representation. Jennifer Babaie, Director of Legal Services and Advocacy at the Immigrant Advocacy Center Las Américas, condemned the conditions at Guantanamo, asserting that "many of the detainees had already been subjected to due process violations and abuse." According to Babaie, isolating immigrants without access to their lawyers or families constituted a severe breach of their rights.
Government's Justification: Security Concerns and Criminal Links
The Trump administration defended the use of Guantanamo for detaining immigrants with potential ties to criminal organizations, such as the Tren de Aragua. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem stated that the detainees were "the worst illegal criminals," though many had not been charged with serious crimes. Government lawyers argued that while detainees did not have the same legal protections as U.S. citizens, they were provided limited access to attorneys through phone calls and correspondence. However, the government acknowledged that in-person visits were prohibited.
The international community raised concerns over the use of Guantanamo as a detention center for immigrants, with humanitarian organizations warning of the risks of abuse in an isolated facility lacking oversight. The conditions at the center and the restrictions placed on detainees were seen by many as violations of international human rights standards. Ultimately, with the recent deportation, the Trump administration temporarily closes the chapter on Guantanamo as an immigrant detention center. However, the expansion of the facilities might suggest that this is only a temporary pause.
Key Questions about Guantanamo's Role in Immigration Detention
What prompted the Trump administration to remove immigrants from Guantanamo?
The Trump administration removed immigrants to avoid temporary court orders and legal challenges concerning detention conditions and detainee rights.
What legal argument did the Trump administration use regarding detainees' rights?
The administration argued that detainees at Guantanamo did not have the same constitutional protections as U.S. citizens and, therefore, were not entitled to equal legal assistance.
How many immigrants were held at Guantanamo before the operation ended?
Before the operation concluded, 178 immigrants were detained at the facility, with classifications as either "low threat" or "high threat."