Trump announces expansion of Guantanamo Bay detention facility for criminal migrants

By avagrace // 2025-02-18

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President Donald Trump announced plans to significantly expand the migrant detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to house up to 30,000 individuals, reinforcing his administration's hardline stance on immigration and border security.
The facility, historically associated with detaining terrorism suspects, has faced criticism for human rights abuses. The separate migrant center has also been scrutinized for poor conditions, lack of legal resources and inadequate services for detainees.
Trump framed the expansion as necessary to detain dangerous individuals and deter illegal immigration, linking it to the signing of the Laken Riley Act, which mandates detention for undocumented migrants charged with certain crimes.
The plan faces significant logistical hurdles, including outdated capacity estimates and uncertainty about military involvement. It has drawn sharp criticism from Cuban officials, human rights advocates and pro-refugee groups, who argue it undermines U.S. moral standing.
The expansion marks a defining moment in Trump's immigration agenda, leveraging a controversial site to send a strong message on border security. However, questions about feasibility, cost and ethical concerns are expected to dominate the national debate.

In a dramatic escalation of his immigration enforcement policies, President Donald Trump announced plans to expand the migrant detention facility at Cuba's Guantanamo Bay to house up to 30,000 individuals. The U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, long synonymous with the detention of terrorism suspects, already hosts a separate facility for migrants. This center distinct from the high-security prison for foreign militants has been used intermittently for decades to process migrants, including Haitians and Cubans intercepted at sea. Now, the second Trump administration aims to significantly expand this facility, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) taking the lead in its operation. The move, which has sparked fierce debate, underscores the administration’s hardline approach to what Trump has repeatedly called a "border invasion." (Related: Trump plans to deport some illegals to Guantanamo Bay in massive expansion of detention facilities.) Speaking at the White House, Trump framed the decision as a necessary step to protect Americans from what he described as "the worst criminal illegal aliens." He emphasized that some individuals are so dangerous that their home countries cannot be trusted to detain them, making Guantanamo Bay a secure alternative. "This will double our capacity immediately," Trump declared, adding that the facility would serve as a deterrent to illegal immigration. The announcement came as Trump signed the Laken Riley Act, a landmark immigration bill requiring the detention of undocumented migrants charged with certain crimes. The president hailed the legislation as a critical tool in combating migrant-related crime, a central theme of his administration.

Second Trump admin defends the use of Gitmo to address illegal immigration and crime

Established in 2002 under former President George W. Bush, the high-security prison was designed to hold foreign terrorism suspects following the 9/11 attacks. But over the years, Guantanamo Bay's detention facilities have become a flashpoint for controversy. It has drawn condemnation from human rights groups for its use of indefinite detention and harsh interrogation techniques, which critics equate to torture. The International Refugee Assistance Project highlighted concerns about the lack of educational services for children and restricted communication for detainees in a 2024 report Despite these criticisms, the second Trump administration has defended the use of Guantanamo Bay as a practical solution to a growing crisis. Border czar Tom Homan, a key figure in the administration’s immigration strategy, confirmed that the existing migrant center would be expanded to accommodate the influx. "We're just going to build upon what’s already there," Homan said, noting that ICE would oversee operations from its Miami-based migrant center. While the administration has framed the expansion as a straightforward solution, logistical hurdles remain. A U.S. official familiar with the facility's capacity told CNN that the 30,000-bed figure is outdated, reflecting conditions from the 1990s rather than the present day. To house and care for such a large population, the official said, the U.S. would need to deploy significant military personnel and resources. The Pentagon, caught off guard by the announcement, has yet to receive detailed guidance from the White House. Defense officials expressed uncertainty about the scope of the mission, including whether it would be short-term or long-term and how much military involvement would be required. The plan has also drawn sharp criticism from abroad. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel condemned the move as "an act of brutality," accusing the U.S. of using illegally occupied territory to detain migrants. The Cuban government has long opposed the U.S. presence at Guantanamo Bay, which it views as a violation of its sovereignty. The expansion of Guantanamo Bay's migrant facility marks a defining moment in Trump's immigration agenda. Despite the controversy surrounding the detention center, the administration is sending a clear message: It will stop at nothing to secure the border and enforce immigration laws. Watch this video that shows life inside the Guantanamo Bay detention center. This video is from the harrier808 channel on Brighteon.com.

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Second Trump admin defends the use of Gitmo to address illegal immigration and crime

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