The U.S. government has initiated the transfer of detained illegal migrants to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that the first flights have departed, marking the beginning of this new policy.
This action follows President Donald Trump’s directive to the Pentagon to prepare the facility to accommodate approximately 30,000 “criminal illegal aliens.” The administration emphasizes that this measure targets individuals who have violated U.S. immigration laws and committed serious crimes within the country.
One of the initial flights originated from Fort Bliss, Texas, transporting about a dozen migrants. An additional flight departed earlier in the week. The Guantanamo Bay facility, traditionally used to detain foreign terrorists, currently has a capacity of around 120 beds for migrants. Plans are underway to expand this capacity to house up to 30,000 detainees, as outlined in a presidential memorandum signed on January 29, 2025.
The memorandum directs the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security to “take all appropriate actions to expand” Guantanamo’s facilities to provide additional detention space for high-priority criminal aliens unlawfully present in the United States. This move is part of a broader strategy to intensify immigration enforcement and address challenges at the U.S. southern border.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has endorsed the use of Guantanamo Bay for this purpose, describing it as a suitable location to temporarily house the “worst of the worst” until they can be repatriated to their home countries. He emphasized that all options remain on the table for military action against cartels facilitating illegal immigration.
The administration has also secured agreements with countries such as El Salvador, Venezuela, and Colombia to accept repatriation flights of their nationals. El Salvador has agreed to the repatriation of its own citizens as well as illegal criminals from other nations who will then be sent to their prisons. Venezuela and Colombia have also agreed to cooperate with the repatriation of their nationals found in the U.S.
