Trump Administration Uses Guantánamo Bay to Detain Migrants with Criminal Records

The decision to house up to 30,000 migrants at the naval base revives its controversial history as a detention site for asylum seekers and raises legal and humanitarian concerns.

Guantánamo Bay has a long history of being used as a detention site for migrants, including Haitian and Cuban asylum seekers in the 1980s and 1990s.
The Trump administration has begun sending migrants with criminal convictions to the base, with plans to hold up to 30,000 people temporarily while awaiting deportation or resettlement.
Critics argue the move undermines legal and human rights, citing past instances of inhumane conditions and limited access to legal representation at the facility.
Supporters of the policy highlight Guantánamo's historical role in housing migrants and emphasize its capacity for temporary detention under international law obligations.
The decision has sparked debate over the ethics and legality of offshoring immigration detention and its broader implications for U.S. immigration policy.