WASHINGTON:
The United States has begun flying detained migrants to the Guantanamo Bay military base in Cuba as part of President Donald Trumpโs intensified efforts against illegal immigration, officials announced on Tuesday.
While Guantanamo Bay is widely recognized as a detention center for terrorism suspects, it has also been used in the past to hold migrants. Recently, President Trump directed the establishment of a “migrant facility” at the base with a capacity of 30,000 people.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Fox Business that “the first flights from the United States to Guantanamo Bay carrying illegal migrants are now underway.”
A U.S. defense official, speaking anonymously to AFP, indicated that a flight was scheduled to arrive at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay with approximately a dozen high-risk migrants. The official noted that these individuals would be detained separately from the high-value prisoners already held at the facility.
In his second term, President Trump has prioritized a stringent crackdown on illegal immigration, featuring increased immigration raids, arrests, and the use of military aircraft for deportations.
Trump has also pressured foreign governments, threatening Colombia with sanctions and significant tariffs for rejecting two planes filled with deportees.
Established after the September 11, 2001 attacks, Guantanamo Bay has been used to detain individuals captured in subsequent conflicts and operations. The facility has faced widespread criticism from human rights organizations and condemnation from UN experts, who have described it as a place of “unmatched infamy.”
