White House begins migrant flights to Guantánamo Bay

The Trump administration on Tuesday began flying immigrants who entered the country illegally to Guantánamo Bay amid plans to use the facility in Cuba to detain thousands of migrants.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the first flights from the U.S. to Guantánamo Bay carrying migrant lacking permanent legal status were underway.

"President Trump is not messing around, and he's no longer going to allow America to be a dumping ground for illegal criminals from nations all over this world," Leavitt said on Fox Business Network.

Trump last week signed a memo directing the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security to prepare a 30,000-person migrant at Guantánamo Bay, a facility in Cuba that has been used to house military prisoners, including several involved in the 9/11 attacks.

Guantánamo Bay is best known as a military base where terror suspects are held. It became infamous for accusations of torture and abuse as the U.S. carried out the war on terrorism. The Biden administration sought to wind down operations at the facility. There are 15 detainees still there.

"Due process will be followed, and having facilities at Guantánamo Bay will be an asset to us," Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Sunday on "Meet the Press."

Noem would not say whether women and children would be kept at Guantánamo Bay.

The Trump administration has aggressively moved to remove individuals who entered the U.S. illegally, setting up agreements with Colombia, Venezuela and El Salvador for those countries to accept deported immigrants.

Topics

Guantánamo Bay Prepares for President Trump’s Migrant Surge

About 300 servicemembers have arrived in recent days as the base faces its most drastic changes since the Pentagon opened a prison there after the Sept. 11 attacks.
The New York Times - 19h
Hegseth touts Guantánamo Bay as 'perfect spot' to house migrants

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said Guantánamo Bay is the “perfect spot” to house deported migrants, after President Trump signed a memo Wednesday ordering a facility there be prepared for that ...
The Hill - 5d
Trump directs Pentagon and DHS to prepare migrant housing at Guantánamo Bay

Trump said earlier Wednesday that the U.S. has "30,000 beds in Guantanamo to detain the worst criminal illegal aliens threatening the American people."
NBC News - 5d
Under Trump orders, Guantánamo Bay facility soon to house migrants

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security The Big Story Under Trump orders, Guantánamo Bay facility soon to house migrants ...
The Hill - 5d
Trump Says U.S. Will Hold Migrants at Guantánamo Bay

The president suggested 30,000 migrants could be housed on the base. It is unclear how the plan will take shape.
The New York Times - 5d
Trump orders opening of migrant detention center at Guantánamo Bay

President signs executive order instructing preparation of facility to house 30,000 immigrants at US naval base in Cuba. US politics – live Donald Trump has signed an executive order to ...
The Guardian - 5d
Trump threatens to open migrant detention center at Guantánamo Bay amid confusion over White House orders – live

Trump says ‘we have 30,000 beds in Guantánamo’; officials scrap measure to freeze federal funding following backlash and court action. White House revokes spending freeze in face of legal ...
The Guardian - 5d
Trump orders preparation of Guantánamo Bay facility to house migrants

President Trump said he is signing an executive order on Wednesday to prepare a massive facility at Guantánamo Bay to be used to house deported migrants. The order will direct the Department of ...
The Hill - 5d
White House says migrant deportation flights with military aircraft have begun

The Trump administration has started flying immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally out of the country using military aircraft, a White House spokesperson said Friday. White House press secretary ...
The Hill - Jan. 24