U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to expand a migrant detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to house up to 30,000 migrants. This facility is separate from the high-security prison for terrorism suspects, which has been used for decades to detain Haitians and Cubans caught at sea.

Trump’s administration aims to increase the capacity for holding what they call “the worst criminal illegal aliens,” people so dangerous that they don’t trust their home countries to keep them safe.

The expanded facility will be managed by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem mentioned that funding discussions are ongoing with Congress. Trump signed an executive order to begin preparations for this new detention space.

While this facility is intended for migrants, it is distinct from the infamous Guantanamo prison, set up in 2002 after the 9/11 attacks to hold suspected militants. Despite efforts from previous presidents Obama and Biden to shut down the prison, Trump has vowed to keep it open.

The U.S. military has been under fire from human rights groups over Guantanamo’s controversial practices, including indefinite detention and harsh interrogation methods that critics consider torture.

In addition to the Guantanamo plans, the U.S. military also announced it would allow ICE to detain migrants at a different base, Buckley Space Force Base in Colorado. This move follows Trump’s push for stricter border enforcement.

Critics, including Cuba’s President Miguel Díaz-Canel, have called the plan “brutality,” and refugee organizations have highlighted concerns about unsanitary conditions and the treatment of families at the Guantanamo migrant facility.

This is a developing situation, with both supporters and critics of the plan watching closely. Reuters provided additional coverage.

Credit : Reuters

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-says-he-will-instruct-homeland-security-pentagon-prepare-migrant-facility-2025-01-29

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