This past weekend marked the deployment of military troops to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where they will assist in setting up a facility intended for the detention of deported migrants.
Deployment of Military Troops
Marines from the 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment of the 2d Marine Division took off from Cherry Point Air Station in North Carolina aboard a KC-130J.
They landed directly at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, joining forces with personnel from U.S. Southern Command and U.S. Army South.
Together, this operation has sent a total of 150 military members to the base.
This mobilization aligns with a recent directive from the White House to forcibly deport immigrants lacking permanent legal status, seeking to house them at the naval installation.
President Donald Trump announced this strategy on January 29, presenting Guantanamo as a facility for “high-priority criminal aliens.” His plans include expanding the detention center at the base, which is expected to eventually hold up to 30,000 migrants.
The administration emphasized a desire to tackle what they label a “border invasion,” dismantle organized crime syndicates, and assert national sovereignty.
Military’s Role in Deportation Efforts
During a January 31 interview on Fox News, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth highlighted the military’s crucial role in large-scale deportations.
He remarked that should undocumented immigrants not be swiftly returned to their home countries or a temporary site, Guantanamo would serve as a “transit hub” for their detention.
The responsibility for the operations at Guantanamo falls to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
In an interview with Fox News, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem expressed optimism about the new detention center’s efficiency, noting that it could become operational quickly.
She also called on Congress to provide supplementary funding to enhance the budget for DHS, which will aid in constructing additional facilities, prosecuting criminal migrants, and refining the immigration process.
Legislative Changes and Goals
Coinciding with Trump’s announcement about Guantanamo Bay, he signed the Laken Riley Act into law.
This legislation stipulates that undocumented immigrants arrested for crimes such as burglary, theft, larceny, and shoplifting must be detained.
Source: Militarytimes