All illegal migrants held in Guantánamo Bay sent to Louisiana
The U.S. naval base in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, has seen a significant shift in its migrant population, with all 40 illegal migrants being sent back to the United States. According to two U.S. defense officials who spoke to Fox News, the migrants are now being held in Louisiana. This group includes 23 “high-threat illegal aliens” who were held at the detention facility on base, as well as 17 migrants who were held at the migrant operations center.
The illegal migrants were transported to Louisiana via Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) aircraft. Currently, there are no migrants being held at the base, and there are no scheduled flights to arrive with more migrants. The reasons for the migrants being sent back to the United States have not been disclosed, and inquiries to Homeland Security and ICE have not been answered regarding their relocation to Louisiana and their current holding location.
It remains unclear if the U.S. will continue to hold migrants at the Guantánamo Bay base, also known as “Gitmo.” None of the 195 tents set up to hold migrants have been used, as they do not meet ICE standards, lacking amenities like air conditioning.
In late January, President Donald Trump directed the Pentagon to prepare 30,000 beds at the base to house “criminal illegal aliens” deemed a threat to the American public. The president’s aim was to prevent these individuals from returning to the U.S., as part of efforts to combat migrant crime in communities.
However, the operation to build more tents was halted in February, shortly after it began. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the base in late February to meet with troops serving there. The 45-square-mile base has been leased from Cuba since 1903 and is primarily known for detaining terrorism suspects, including those involved in the September 11, 2001 attacks.
News of the migrants being sent to Louisiana comes amid reports that President Trump is expected to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to facilitate faster mass deportations of illegal immigrants. The law allows the president to detain or deport natives and citizens of an enemy nation, and Trump is reportedly planning to target members of the violent Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang using this wartime legislation.
As the situation at Guantánamo Bay continues to evolve, the fate of migrants at the base remains uncertain. The developments underscore the complex challenges surrounding immigration and border security in the United States.
[Author: Michael Dorgan is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. You can send tips to michael.dorgan@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @M_Dorgan.]
