IRIA News

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U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth unveiled the Trump administration’s plan for a new migrant detention facility at the U.S. Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Hegseth affirmed that Guantanamo Bay is the “perfect spot” to house deported migrants after Trump signed a memo ordering a facility there be prepared for that purpose.

The U.S.-owned facility in Guantanamo Bay would be designed to accommodate up to 30,000 individuals and will operate separately from the existing high-security military prison on the base. The President described the detainees as “the worst criminal illegal aliens threatening the American people.”

The U.S. has a history of using facilities at Guantanamo Bay for detaining migrants, a practice that has been employed by various administrations, both Republican and Democrat. The U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay has a long history of housing immigrants and detainees under adverse circumstances, a practice that has drawn criticism from human rights organizations over the years.

The Migrant Operations Center (MOC) at the base has been used for decades to temporarily hold migrants intercepted at sea. However, the new facility represents a significant expansion of this role, with plans to detain a much larger number of individuals. In a 2024 report, the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) accused the government of secretly holding migrants there in “inhumane” conditions indefinitely after detaining them at sea.

Tom Homan, the administration’s “border tsar,” elaborated on the plan, stating that the facility would be expanded and managed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He explained that migrants intercepted at sea by the U.S. Coast Guard could be transported directly to Guantanamo Bay, where the “highest” detention standards would be applied. Details regarding the cost and timeline for the facility’s completion remain unclear.

The high-security military prison at Guantanamo Bay has, for decades, held detainees taken into U.S. custody following the 9/11 attacks in 2001. At its peak, it housed hundreds of prisoners. Several Democrat Presidents including Barack Obama, vowed to shut it down, however, the prison remains operational. Currently, 15 prisoners are being held there.

Cuba’s response

The announcement of the facility’s expansion has been met with swift condemnation by the Cuban government, which has long considered Guantanamo Bay to be “occupied” territory and has denounced the existence of a U.S. naval base on the island since Fidel Castro came to power in 1959.

The Cuban leadership swiftly condemned the plan, accusing the U.S. of torture and illegal detention on “occupied” land. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel expressed his disapproval on social media, stating, “In an act of brutality, the new government of the U.S. has announced it will incarcerate, at the naval base at Guantanamo, located in illegally occupied Cuban territory, thousands of forcibly expelled migrants, who will be located near known prisons of torture and illegal detention.”

Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez added that the announcement showed “contempt for the human condition and international law.”

The administration’s decision to expand the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay has sparked a heated debate over immigration policy and human rights activists alike. Proponents argue that it is a necessary measure to protect national security and uphold the rule of law. Critics, however, contend that it represents a violation of human rights and a troubling expansion of the U.S. detention system.

As the administration moves forward with its plans, the nation will be closely watching the developments at Guantanamo Bay and the broader implications for U.S. immigration policy. The expansion of the detention facility marks a significant shift in the country’s approach to handling undocumented immigrants and raises important questions about the balance between security and human rights.

Crackdown on illegal immigration

The expansion of the detention center in Guantanamo Bay is part of a broader policy that aims at a strict crackdown on illegal immigration in the U.S. Last week, The U.S. President signed an executive order to deploy 1,600 active-duty troops to the U.S.-Mexico border as part of efforts to curb illegal immigration. The deployment marks the initial phase of a broader strategy aimed at addressing what the administration describes as “unlawful mass migration.”

According to defense officials, the troops will carry out various support roles, including flying helicopters to assist Border Patrol agents and aiding in the construction of physical barriers along the border. Additionally, the Pentagon will provide military aircraft to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for deportation flights involving more than 5,000 detained migrants.

“This is just the beginning,” a defense official stated. “In short order, the department will develop and execute additional missions in cooperation with DHS, federal agencies, and state partners to address the full range of threats outlined by the President at our nation’s borders.”

The deployment includes 500 Marines from Camp Pendleton in California, with the remainder consisting of Army personnel. A few hundred troops began moving to the border earlier Wednesday, joining the approximately 2,500 National Guard and Reserve forces already stationed in the region.