Overview
- President Donald Trump has ordered the expansion of Guantánamo Bay to detain up to 30,000 migrants, including asylum seekers, as part of a mass deportation plan.
- Critics argue the move repeats Guantánamo's history of legal ambiguity, human rights violations, and exorbitant costs, with $44 million spent annually per detainee in recent years.
- Civil rights groups and attorneys claim the administration has provided limited information about detainees and restricted access to legal counsel, raising constitutional concerns.
- Many of the migrants transferred to Guantánamo are Venezuelans, with some falsely accused of gang affiliations to justify their detention, according to advocacy groups.
- The expansion has drawn comparisons to past controversial uses of Guantánamo, with experts warning it is an ineffective and costly response to complex migration challenges.