IRIA News

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U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth traveled to Naval Station Guantanamo Bay (NSGB), Cuba, on February 26, 2025. The visit comes in the wake of a newly implemented mass deportation policy aimed at detaining and expelling what the administration has described as “dangerous illegal aliens.”

“Arrived at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay on the front lines of the war against America’s southern border,” Hegseth stated upon his arrival. The trip marks Hegseth’s first official visit to NSGB since his confirmation as Defense Secretary in January 2025.

During his visit, Hegseth met with service members directly supporting the apprehension and deportation of undocumented migrants, reinforcing the Pentagon’s commitment to executing President Donald Trump’s executive orders on border security.

“The protection of the U.S.’s sovereign territory is the Pentagon’s mission, and the department moved swiftly to implement the executive orders of President Donald Trump on border security,” Hegseth emphasized.

Hegseth’s connection to Guantanamo Bay

Hegseth’s visit to Guantanamo Bay carries personal significance. The Defense Secretary previously served at the naval base as a young Army officer from 2004 to 2005 with the New Jersey National Guard.

“I was here 20 years ago, I have been where you are, for a year, [and] I relate to the dynamics, the push and pull, and the sway of an operation; I get it,” Hegseth told service members.

This experience, he suggested, gives him a unique perspective on the operations currently taking place at the base as the facility prepares for an expanded role in immigration enforcement.

Expansion detention facilities

Earlier in January 2025, Hegseth unveiled the Trump administration’s plan to construct a new migrant detention center at NSGB, which would be capable of housing up to 30,000 individuals.

Guantanamo Bay was chosen as the location for the facility following a presidential memorandum signed by Trump ordering the Department of Defense to prepare a site for detaining deported migrants deemed high-risk criminals.

Hegseth described Guantanamo Bay as the “perfect spot” for detaining migrants, stating that its isolated location and existing infrastructure make it well-suited for the mission. The White House has since commenced transporting undocumented migrants, specifically those labeled as “high threat,” to Guantanamo Bay as part of its mass deportation efforts.

Guantanamo Bay has a long history of being used for migrant detention by both Republican and Democratic administrations. The Migrant Operations Center (MOC) at NSGB has previously been used to hold migrants intercepted at sea. However, the new facility marks a significant expansion of this practice, with plans to detain a much larger number of individuals for longer periods.

A 2024 report from the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) alleged that the U.S. government had secretly detained migrants in Guantanamo Bay under inhumane conditions, leading to criticism from human rights organizations.

Cuba’s condemnation of US Plans

The Cuban government swiftly condemned the expansion of detention operations at Guantanamo Bay, denouncing the U.S. presence on the island as illegal and illegitimate. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel accused the U.S. of using “brutal” measures to incarcerate thousands of forcibly expelled migrants.

“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,” Diaz-Canel said.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez also criticized the move, calling it a violation of international law and human rights.

The U.S. has controlled the Guantanamo Bay naval base since 1903, and while Cuba has long called for its return, Washington has maintained its presence under a lease agreement.

Crackdown on illegal immigration

The Guantanamo Bay expansion is part of a broader U.S. crackdown on illegal immigration. As one of his steps at the White House, President Trump signed an executive order to deploy 1,600 active-duty troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to stem illegal immigration.

According to Pentagon officials, the deployment is part of a multi-phase plan to curb unlawful mass migration. The troops are expected to:

• Assist the Border Patrol agents with aerial surveillance and logistical support
• Construct new physical barriers along the border
• Provide military aircraft for deportation flights

The deployment includes 500 Marines from Camp Pendleton, California, as well as Army personnel, joining the 2,500 National Guard and Reserve forces already stationed along the border.

Human Rights Concerns

The decision to expand Guantanamo Bay’s detention capacity has sparked intense debate in the U.S. and internationally. Supporters argue that the facility provides a secure location for detaining high-risk individuals and is necessary for national security.

Critics, including human rights activists, contend that the move violates international law and human rights standards, comparing it to past controversial uses of Guantanamo Bay for indefinite detention.

As the Trump administration presses forward with its aggressive immigration enforcement policies, the expansion of Guantanamo Bay’s detention facility marks a significant shift in U.S. immigration strategy, one that will be closely watched both domestically and abroad.