The number of troops deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, pursuant to President Donald Trump’s directive to convert the Navy base into a detention facility for migrants apprehended in the United States has increased nearly threefold, reaching approximately 900 personnel within just over one week, according to a defense official on Thursday.
Military officials informed lawmakers on Thursday that there are currently around 68 migrants detained at Guantanamo Bay. This troop surge is part of preparations for the anticipated detention of up to 30,000 migrants at this location.
The increase in military personnel represents the latest initiative in the Trump administration’s stringent approach to immigration, which includes measures to prevent migrants from crossing the southern border and the deportation of individuals identified by enforcement officials as residing unlawfully in the United States. However, the decision to transfer migrants to Guantanamo Bay—historically associated with the detention of 9/11 terrorism suspects for an extended period—has led to legal challenges and raised significant concerns regarding the legality of the action, as well as the rights and vetting processes for individuals detained at this facility.
