In one of the most audacious moves of his presidency, US President Donald Trump has ordered the creation of a new migrant detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. This new facility, set to house up to 30,000 individuals, will be located within the confines of the US Navy base in Cuba, a location that has long been associated with detention and controversy. However, the new facility will be distinct from the infamous military prison that has housed detainees from the War on Terror. The purpose of the facility, according to the Trump administration, is to detain what it calls “the worst criminal illegal aliens” who pose a serious threat to the safety of the American public.
This expansion of Guantanamo Bay is expected to significantly increase the US’s capacity to hold undocumented migrants. At a time when the US faces mounting challenges related to illegal immigration and border security, Trump’s decision to turn to Guantanamo Bay has sparked both praise from some sectors and fierce opposition from others. For some, the move represents a much-needed step to secure America’s borders and maintain national security. For others, it raises troubling questions about human rights, the conditions under which detainees will be held, and the potential violation of international law.
Trump has long been outspoken about the need for stronger immigration policies, particularly in the wake of crimes committed by undocumented migrants. The new detention facility is part of his broader strategy to keep dangerous migrants off American soil. According to Trump, some individuals pose such a significant threat that they cannot even be trusted to be held in their home countries. The president emphasized, “Some of them are so bad we don’t even trust the countries to hold them, because we don’t want them coming back. So we’re going to send them to Guantanamo… it’s a tough place to get out.”
Trump’s “border tsar,” Tom Homan, confirmed that the new facility would be managed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and would house individuals intercepted by the US Coast Guard. These individuals would be held in a secure environment, far removed from the US mainland. Homan also clarified that the detention conditions would meet what the administration describes as the “highest” standards. The facility will be located within the Guantanamo Bay naval base, which has long been used to hold migrants picked up at sea, though this facility will be expanded specifically for the detention of those facing serious charges.
The announcement also comes shortly after Trump signed the so-called Laken Riley Act into law. This legislation mandates that undocumented immigrants who are arrested for violent crimes or theft be held in jail until their trial. The law was named in memory of Laken Riley, a Georgia nursing student who was murdered by a Venezuelan migrant last year. With this law now on the books, Trump’s administration is taking further steps to ensure that individuals deemed a threat to American citizens are detained in facilities that comply with US security requirements.
The new detention facility will essentially double the US’s capacity to hold undocumented migrants. It follows a pattern of previous administrations—both Republican and Democrat—that have used Guantanamo Bay as a detention center for migrants. However, Trump’s plan differs in that it envisions a much larger and more secure facility, with capacity for up to 30,000 individuals.
Historically, the Guantanamo Migrant Operations Center (GMOC) has housed migrants intercepted at sea by the US Coast Guard. In 2024, the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) accused the US government of holding migrants in “inhumane” conditions and using the GMOC as a facility for indefinite detention. Despite this, the US government has defended its use of the GMOC, claiming that it is not technically a detention facility. However, with Trump’s new executive order, the expansion will clearly transform the site into a more formalized detention center, with ICE overseeing operations.
Details regarding the cost of the facility and its timeline remain unclear. What is certain, however, is that this expansion has the potential to redefine US immigration policy for years to come. As of now, the US government has indicated that funding will likely be secured through reconciliation and appropriations, with Congress expected to approve the expansion as part of a larger spending bill.
The Cuban government has been quick to condemn Trump’s plans, which they see as an escalation of US abuses in the region. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel and Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez both expressed outrage at the announcement, accusing the US of violating international law and continuing its long-standing occupation of Guantanamo Bay. “In an act of brutality, the new government of the US has announced it will incarcerate, at the naval base at Guantanamo, located in illegally occupied Cuban territory, thousands of forcibly expulsed migrants,” Díaz-Canel wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The expansion plan has ignited a renewed debate about the legal status of Guantanamo Bay, a site that has been a point of contention between the US and Cuba since the Cuban Revolution of 1959. While the US sees the base as a critical site for maintaining national security, Cuba continues to denounce its presence, calling for its return to Cuban sovereignty.
For critics of the plan, the expansion of the facility represents a clear violation of human rights. They argue that the US is engaging in the mass detention of migrants in conditions that are at best questionable and at worst, inhumane. Several advocacy organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), have vowed to continue pushing for transparency about the treatment of migrants at Guantanamo Bay.
The Trump administration’s decision to expand Guantanamo Bay is part of a broader narrative about national security and border control. Over the years, the US has faced increasing challenges related to undocumented migration, particularly from countries in Central and South America. In 2024, there were record numbers of migrant detentions, particularly from countries like Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua. This surge in migration, coupled with concerns over crime and national security, has prompted many in the Trump administration to argue that stronger deterrence measures, including the creation of additional detention facilities, are necessary to protect the US.
In addition, the controversy surrounding Guantanamo Bay serves as a reminder of the deeply divided opinions on immigration policy in the US. While some see Trump’s actions as a much-needed crackdown on illegal immigration, others view the expansion as an overreach of government power, potentially infringing on the rights of migrants.
As the Trump administration moves forward with its plan to expand the Guantanamo Bay facility, the political and legal ramifications will continue to unfold. While the US government is optimistic that this move will help secure the nation’s borders, critics warn of the potential consequences—both domestically and internationally—of using Guantanamo Bay as a detention center for migrants. The conversation surrounding immigration reform in the US is far from over, and this latest move only adds fuel to the already heated debate.
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