Donald Trump Announces New Guantanamo Bay Detention Center to Accommodate Thousands of Migrants | US News

January 29, 2025 TruthUSA

Former President Donald Trump has issued an executive order to establish a migrant detention facility at Guantanamo Bay.

Prior to signing the order, Mr. Trump announced that the complex on the island of Cuba would hold thousands of migrants who cannot be returned to their native countries.

“I’m also signing an executive order directing the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security to start preparations for a migrant facility at Guantanamo Bay with a capacity of 30,000 people,” he stated.

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“Most people aren’t even aware of it. We have 30,000 beds at Guantanamo to detain the most dangerous illegal immigrants that pose a threat to the American public.”

“Some of these individuals are so dangerous that we don’t trust their home countries to keep them, as we don’t want them returning.”

This announcement comes as Trump’s controversial nominee for health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., underwent a rigorous questioning session before a hearing committee, addressing topics including vaccines and abortion.

The Guantanamo Bay facility was established in 2002 by President George W. Bush to detain individuals following the events of 9/11 and the associated War on Terror.

Currently, only 15 prisoners remain, including Ramzi bin al Shibh, who is accused of being a conspirator in the 9/11 attacks.

Implications of Guantanamo’s Use for Migrants are Stark

Guantanamo Bay holds a notorious reputation.

It is a section of land on the Cuban coast that has been leased in perpetuity from Cuba since 1903.

The location is known for being a US military prison for detainees taken in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks.

It has become synonymous with the US “war on terror,” CIA rendition, and torture practices.

In addition to the prison, which now has only 15 inmates, it also hosts a US naval base and a small migrant holding facility, primarily used for migrants intercepted at sea while attempting to reach the US.

Trump’s decision to order the Department of Defense to prepare Guantanamo for housing a larger number of migrants is surprising.

With a capacity of 30,000, this facility represents an enormous undertaking. It remains unclear whether the migrants held will be those intercepted at sea or individuals already in the US awaiting deportation.

Currently, the number of migrants crossing into the US is quite low, leading to numerous deportations—indicating who could be detained in this facility.

In pursuing its mass deportation objectives, the White House is likely to encounter significant logistical obstacles with detention facilities.

The optics of repurposing Guantanamo to accommodate deported migrants highlight the stringent policies being implemented by Trump.

At its maximum capacity, nearly 680 individuals, mainly suspected terrorists labeled as “illegal enemy combatants,” were kept at the American-operated prison in Cuba.

The facility has faced criticism from human rights advocates and legal experts over possible violations of international law and inhumane conditions.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel condemned the move, dubbing it “an act of brutality” and referring to the base as being on “illegally occupied Cuban territory.”

In reaction to Trump’s announcement, former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci remarked: “This is essentially a concentration camp.”

“Yet, there is no opposition. No bold political leader willing to challenge this policy.”

RFK Jr. Faces Senate Hearing

Earlier on Wednesday, Mr. Kennedy, nominated by Trump for the position of health secretary, faced a challenging Senate confirmation hearing regarding his stances on vaccines, abortion, and Medicaid.

During the hearing at the Capitol, Democratic senators brought up some of the 71-year-old’s past comments, equating the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to Nazi death camps, as well as linking school shootings to the use of antidepressants, and his assertion that “no vaccine is safe and effective.”

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse remarked to Mr. Kennedy, “frankly, you frighten people,” particularly in relation to a recent measles outbreak in Rhode Island, the first since 2013.

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The nominee clarified that he did “not have a sweeping agenda to dismantle” Medicaid, a state and federal-funded healthcare program, and countered claims of being anti-vaccine by stating that his children are vaccinated.

Mr. Kennedy – son of Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of former President John F. Kennedy – also faced questions concerning his previous stance on abortion and reiterated that he now agrees with the president that “every abortion is a tragedy.”

Federal Funding Freeze Memo Rescinded

This development follows the Trump administration’s budget office revoking an order that froze funding for federal grants—just two days after it provoked legal challenges nationwide.

The order issued on Monday caused uncertainty regarding a financial lifeline for states, schools, and organizations reliant on substantial federal funding.

However, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified to Sky’s US partner network, NBC, that while the freeze has not been formally retracted, the memo that mandated it was cancelled.

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