Former President Donald Trump has announced plans to sign an executive order to prepare facilities at Guantanamo Bay for detaining migrants. This move reflects his ongoing efforts to address illegal U.S. border crossings and manage undocumented migrants. By opening Guantanamo's facilities, Trump aims to "double our capacity immediately," leveraging what he claims are thousands of beds available at the military base.
Guantanamo Bay, located on the island of Cuba, has historically held terrorism suspects and migrants. The exact capacity of the facility remains uncertain, but the Global Detention Project estimates that Guantanamo's Migrant Operations Center can accommodate up to 130 individuals. Despite this, Trump asserted that the site possesses 30,000 beds. As of February, reports indicated that only four migrants were held at the facility, highlighting potential discrepancies in the reported capacity.
In recent years, Trump has taken significant steps to curb illegal immigration. His administration saw the signing of an immigration detention bill into law, further reflecting his commitment to stringent immigration policies. This latest proposal aligns with his broader strategy to crack down on illegal border crossings and mass deport undocumented migrants.
The topic of illegal crossings has been contentious, with numbers rising significantly during President Joe Biden's administration. However, these figures reportedly fell in the final months of Biden's term. Trump's plan to utilize Guantanamo Bay aims to bolster the U.S. capacity to detain "the worst criminal illegal aliens," as he described them. He emphasized the secure nature of the facility by stating, "It's a tough place to get out of."
Details surrounding the exact logistics of converting Guantanamo Bay into a migrant detention center remain unclear. Additionally, the maximum capacity of the military base continues to be debated, casting doubt on the feasibility of Trump's proposed expansion.
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