According to Anadolu News Agency, the Pentagon is preparing to send two flights carrying migrants to the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay this weekend. This marks the initial phase of a controversial directive from former President Donald Trump aimed at using the Cuban facility for detaining individuals apprehended in his intensified crackdown on illegal immigration.
Defense officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that while final logistical details are being ironed out, an additional flight bound for Peru is expected to depart as part of the broader deportation strategy. To date, the U.S. military has conducted eight deportation flights, including four to Guatemala, three to Honduras, and one to Ecuador.
However, this weekend’s transfer to Guantanamo Bay introduces complex legal and logistical considerations, as it would be the first time the Cuban base is used for housing migrants. Historically, the site served as a detention facility for terror suspects, holding up to 780 detainees at its peak during the global war on terror.
Under Trump’s directive, the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security are tasked with developing a plan to accommodate up to 30,000 individuals at the base, significantly surpassing its historical capacity. Defense officials acknowledged that the move presents a costly and urgent logistical challenge, particularly as the military simultaneously responds to a separate order to deploy additional troops to the southern U.S. border.
The move underscores the administration’s aggressive stance on immigration and has sparked debate over the legal and ethical implications of utilizing Guantanamo Bay for civilian detainees.
