❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Trump administration has expanded its use of Guantanamo Bay to house illegal immigrant detainees from many countries, including China, Jamaica, Liberia, and even the United Kingdom, according to internal U.S. government records.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, U.S. immigration authorities, detainees from multiple nations, and officials from the Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Defense (DoD).
📍WHEN & WHERE: Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, with reports of expanded transfers beginning in recent months.
💬KEY QUOTE: “The worst of the worst will be held at the base,” President Trump stated.
🎯IMPACT: The Trump White House emphasizes the use of Guantanamo Bay boosts deterrence against future illegal crossings into the United States and that the facility is being used to house high-risk detainees.
The Trump administration has recently expanded its use of the Guantanamo Bay naval base in Cuba to house illegal immigrant detainees from a wide array of countries, including China, Jamaica, Liberia, and even the United Kingdom, according to internal U.S. government records. These detainees are held separately from the terrorism suspects who remain at the facility.
Officials have stated that most of the detainees are classified as “high-risk,” a designation given to migrants with serious criminal records, histories of disruptive behavior, or suspected gang affiliations. However, the administration has also utilized Guantanamo Bay to detain some migrants it deems “low-risk,” who lack significant criminal histories and are primarily held for civil immigration violations.
The decision to transfer detainees from regions such as Africa, Asia, and Europe to Guantanamo comes as the U.S. immigration detention system exceeds its congressionally funded capacity. However, the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill,’ which is nearing final passage in Congress, would expand funding for federal detention facilities—along with increasing the number of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents—and provide greater capacity to detain illegals.
The administration’s use of Guantanamo Bay reflects its broader crackdown on illegal immigration. This includes the establishment of detention centers in other locations, such as the wetlands of the Everglades, where a facility dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” was unveiled by President Trump during a site visit on Tuesday.
The Department of Defense (DoD) reported spending $21 million on flights to transfer detainees to the Guantanamo base as of April.
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