President Donald Trump signed a memo to prepare for a facility at Guantánamo Bay to house thousands of migrants, in an effort to halt what he called a “border invasion.” The memo directs the Defense and Homeland Security Departments to expand the Migrant Operations Center at the naval base to full capacity for detention of high-priority criminal aliens. Trump had previously previewed this directive at a signing ceremony for an immigration detention measure. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth expressed support for the plan, stating that Guantánamo Bay was a suitable location for mass deportations. This announcement was unexpected for many officials at the Pentagon, who stated they have no orders or guidance beyond the memo. Despite plans to ramp down the Guantánamo mission, a separate Migrant Operations Center could be expanded and run by DHS.
Guantánamo Bay has previously been used as a detention facility for detainees after the September 11 attacks. President Joe Biden and President Barack Obama both expressed desires to shut down the facility, but were unsuccessful. Currently, there are 15 detainees remaining at Guantánamo Bay. Since the start of his second term, Trump has taken various actions to crackdown on illegal migrants in the United States, including declaring a national emergency at the border and signing executive orders to prevent illegal immigration and deport undocumented individuals. The President’s plan to use Guantánamo Bay for housing migrants is part of his ongoing efforts to address immigration issues at the southern border.
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