In a move drawing both support and criticism, the Trump administration has commenced the transfer of migrants to Guantanamo Bay, beginning with a flight carrying suspected gang members from Venezuela. The C-17 military plane took off from El Paso, Texas, and landed at the U.S. military base on Tuesday at 7:20 p.m. ET, according to U.S. Transportation Command.
The flight, part of President Donald Trump’s recent executive order, is the first step in expanding Guantanamo Bay’s Migrant Operations Center to house up to 30,000 migrants. Among the 10 individuals on board were suspected members of the Tren de Aragua gang, described by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as “the worst of the worst.” However, no details regarding charges against the migrants have been disclosed.
Trump addressed the initiative during a briefing at the Oval Office on Tuesday. “There’s a lot of space to accommodate a lot of people,” Trump said. “The migrants are rough, but we have some bad ones, too. We’re going to get them out, all subject to the laws of our land.”
The president’s plan, signed on January 29, directed the Departments of Defense (DoD) and Homeland Security to increase capacity at the Naval base. The aim is to hold migrants awaiting deportation who have no legal status in the U.S. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized on Fox News that this was part of Trump’s commitment to enforcing immigration laws and removing criminals from the country.
“Trump, Pete Hegseth, and Kristi Noem are already delivering on this promise to use Gitmo for illegal criminals,” Leavitt said. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reiterated that Guantanamo’s high-security facilities were suited for “hardened criminals” awaiting deportation.
“Where are you going to put Tren de Aragua before you send them back?” Hegseth questioned during a statement Monday. “Guantanamo Bay has the space and security to hold them temporarily.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem reinforced this stance, stating on social media, “Guantanamo Bay will hold the worst of the worst. That starts today.”
Currently, around 300 U.S. service members are stationed at Guantanamo to support the migrant operations, with another 200 Marines expected to arrive soon. U.S. Southern Command confirmed that these troops are tasked with preparing the facility to house thousands of individuals in separate accommodations from the base’s infamous maximum-security prison.
Despite assurances from the administration, human rights advocates and legal experts have raised serious concerns. Karen Greenberg, director of the Center on National Security at Fordham University, highlighted the potential risks of holding large numbers of migrants at Guantanamo.
“I don’t know that they can handle that many people,” Greenberg said, noting that in the 1990s, the base held a maximum of 21,000 refugees. She also pointed to reports of poor conditions at the facility. “There have been reports of unsanitary conditions, mistreatment, and ambiguous legal status for migrants held there,” she explained.
The International Refugee Assistance Project released a report in September documenting these issues. Critics fear that the expanded operations may exacerbate these conditions and lead to further human rights violations.
While Guantanamo Bay has previously housed refugees and migrants, including under the Biden administration, the numbers were far smaller. The current plan, which envisions a capacity of 30,000, represents a significant escalation in U.S. immigration enforcement measures.
Military officials are working to address the logistical challenges of the expansion. “This is a massive coordination effort involving multiple agencies,” said a U.S. official familiar with the operations. “We’re focused on ensuring security and humanitarian standards are met.”
The administration’s move has sparked a fierce political debate. Supporters argue that the policy is necessary to protect Americans and enforce immigration laws, while opponents warn of potential human rights abuses and legal complications.
For now, Guantanamo Bay stands at the center of this contentious policy shift. The coming weeks will reveal whether the administration’s strategy can withstand both logistical hurdles and mounting political pressure.
