President Donald Trump, emphasizing the importance of deporting immigrants in his campaign and presidency, announced on Wednesday plans to utilize the detention facility at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, to accommodate large numbers of what he termed “the worst criminal aliens.”
During a signing event for the Laken Riley Act, Trump stated, “We’re going to send them out to Guantánamo.” He later formalized this pledge through a presidential memorandum and indicated plans for federal officials to prepare facilities to house illegal immigrants with criminal backgrounds. Tom Homan, the appointed border czar, confirmed that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would oversee the proposed facility; however, specific details regarding the plan were not provided immediately.
The Guantánamo Bay naval base, often referred to as “Gitmo,” is infamous for detaining individuals linked to national security concerns post-September 11, 2001, yet it also features a smaller, independent facility dedicated to migrants. The Migrant Operations Center is designed for individuals intercepted while attempting to reach the United States via boat, primarily those fleeing Haiti and Cuba.
This particular center occupies only a fraction of the overall base, comprising just a few buildings and lacking the capability to house the 30,000 individuals Trump suggested could be placed there. Homan remarked, “We’re just going to expand upon that existing migrant center.” It is important to note that this migrant facility operates independently from the military detention center used for foreigners apprehended during the Bush administration, which currently holds 15 detainees, down from a high of nearly 800.
Details regarding the profiles of individuals to be detained at Guantánamo have been clarified somewhat, with officials describing those targeted as “the worst of the worst.” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Homan emphasized this point in discussions with reporters outside the White House. A subsequent statement from the White House, while less detailed, indicated that the expanded facility would serve as additional detention space for high-priority criminal aliens who are unlawfully present in the U.S. An anonymous administration official emphasized that the facility would host “dangerous criminals” difficult to deport due to the refusal of various countries to accept them.
Trump has expressed concerns regarding the threats arising from the approximately 11 million undocumented immigrants residing in the United States. However, while crimes involving immigrants do occur, they represent a minuscule portion of the population. Research generally indicates that there is no direct correlation between immigration and violent crime rates, although opinions on this topic differ.
Information regarding the Migrant Operations Center remains limited. The International Refugee Assistance Project reported last year on the facility’s “prison-like” conditions, stating that individuals held there are subjected to an indefinite and punitive system without adequate oversight. Senior attorney Deepa Alagesan expressed apprehension over increasing utilization of the center for a larger number of migrants, describing the potential situation as “definitely a scary prospect.”
As Trump reiterates his commitment to deporting millions of undocumented immigrants, it’s worth noting that ICE’s current budget only allows for the detention of around 41,000 individuals. The agency operates across processing centers, privately run detention centers, and local jails, with no current provisions for family detention, despite families constituting roughly a third of those arriving at the southern U.S. border.
Trump has previously sanctioned the use of military bases for the detention of migrant children, a strategy that echoes practices used by former President Barack Obama in 2014. U.S. military bases have a long history of being utilized to provide shelter for populations fleeing conflicts across various nations, including Vietnam, Cuba, and Afghanistan.
Legal advocacy groups have responded strongly to this latest development, describing the proposal to send immigrants to Guantánamo as a cause for concern. Vince Warren, executive director of the Center for Constitutional Rights, remarked that this action signals that migrants and asylum seekers are increasingly framed as threats and deserving of punishment in isolated prisons rather than support.
The Cuban government has reacted critically to the announcement regarding Guantánamo. Leaders have condemned the move, with President Miguel Díaz-Canel labeling it “an act of brutality” and emphasizing the illegality of U.S. occupancy on Cuban territory. Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez expressed deep concerns on social media, asserting that holding migrants in Guantánamo—an area historically associated with torture and indefinite detention—demonstrates a blatant disregard for human rights and international laws.
