The Trump administration has moved the last of the 40 migrants who were held at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba, transferring them to detention centers within the United States, according to official sources. Despite previous assertions by President Trump to host 30,000 immigrants at this facility located in eastern Cuba, this decision marks the second significant relocation in less than a month, following the deportation of 177 Venezuelans in February.
Among the 40 individuals sent to the Cuban base by Trump, 23 were described as "highly dangerous," as reported by officials to the Voice of America. These detainees will now await deportation on the mainland, according to the same sources.
The government has not provided detailed reasons for this sudden move, but it was reported that the migrants were transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities in Louisiana. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) refrained from commenting when approached by The New York Times.
The Trump administration had initially portrayed Guantanamo as a detention site for "high-risk" migrants, including alleged members of the Aragua Train gang. However, no concrete evidence has been presented linking these migrants to criminal organizations, attracting criticism and legal challenges from human rights advocates.
This relocation comes just days before a federal court in Washington is set to hear a lawsuit challenging the legality of detaining migrants in foreign territories without their consent. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has also contested the lack of legal access for those detained at the base.
Since Trump took office, approximately 290 migrants have been sent to Guantanamo, far short of the 30,000 his administration had planned to accommodate. Despite the high operational costs—estimated at $16 million—and numerous legal hurdles, the administration has not ruled out the possibility of using the base for future migrant detentions.
Key Questions About Migrant Relocation from Guantanamo
Why were migrants moved from Guantanamo to the mainland?
The government has not provided specific reasons for the relocation, but it is part of a broader effort to manage the detention of migrants within the United States rather than at the Guantanamo facility.
How many migrants were originally planned to be detained at Guantanamo?
The Trump administration initially projected that 30,000 migrants would be held at Guantanamo, but only about 290 have been sent there since Trump took office.
What legal challenges does the detention policy face?
The policy faces lawsuits challenging the legality of detaining migrants in foreign territories without their consent and criticisms regarding the lack of legal access for detainees.