Controversial Proposal to Use Gitmo for Migrant Detention Draws Criticism
President Donald Trump’s recent directive to ready the Guantánamo Bay Naval Base for possibly detaining thousands of migrants has sparked immediate outcry from human rights organizations. On Wednesday, Trump made this declaration, aiming to convert the base into a facility for migrant detention.
“The legacy of Guantánamo is already marred by human rights abuses, and this proposed use as a migrant detention center marks a troubling increase in hostile immigration policies,” Guerline Jozef, the executive director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, remarked in a response on Friday.
The announcement came during the signing of the Laken Riley Act, a piece of legislation that revokes due process rights from numerous undocumented immigrants. Trump stated, “Guantánamo will have 30,000 beds available to detain the most dangerous criminal illegal aliens that pose threats to American safety.”
On the same day, a presidential memorandum was released by the White House instructing the Secretary of Defense along with the Secretary of Homeland Security to “utilize all necessary measures to enlarge the Migrant Operations Center at the Naval Station Guantánamo Bay to its maximum capacity.” This is to include additional detention spaces for migrants deemed high-priority criminal offenders, although specific numbers were not disclosed in the memo.
Vincent Warren, the executive director of the Center for Constitutional Rights, expressed profound alarm at this decision, stating, “This order should terrify everyone.” He added, “It clearly portrays migrants and asylum seekers as the latest security threats, relegating them to an offshore prison devoid of legal and societal support.”
Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), voiced his concerns on Thursday, highlighting “grave human rights issues, potential for severe violations, and unnecessary financial burdens on taxpayers.” Amnesty International also condemned the plan vehemently.
The military prison at Guantánamo Bay is infamously known for its harsh measures during the United States’ “War on Terror” following the attacks on September 11, 2001. Since opening in 2002, the facility has detained numerous foreign terrorism suspects, often without formal charges.
While the Guantánamo facilities have historically been used for holding asylum seekers and migrants, Trump’s current suggestion is unprecedented. Previous administrations, including those of George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, have processed Haitian refugees at Guantánamo, but these were individuals intercepted at sea rather than transferred from the U.S. mainland. Additionally, while the Biden administration contemplated using the site for processing Haitian migrants last year, it ultimately did not pursue this policy.
Looking forward, Warren from the Center for Constitutional Rights pledged continued opposition, stating, “Our organization has consistently challenged the use of Guantánamo by the U.S. government, and we will steadfastly continue to do so with our allies.”
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