‘Some of them are so bad…’: Donald Trump orders 30,000-person migrant detention facility at Guantanamo Bay

US President Donald Trump has signed a presidential memorandum to establish a facility at Guantanamo Bay capable of detaining 30,000 migrants. This facility, traditionally used for holding terrorists, will now also house illegal immigrants with criminal records. 

Trump directed the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security to prepare the facility for this new purpose. "Today I'm also signing an executive order to instruct the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security to begin preparing the 30,000 person migrant facility at Guantanamo Bay," Trump stated at a White House event.

The expansion of the Migrant Operations Center at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay is intended to accommodate 'high-priority criminal aliens.' Trump emphasised the need to detain individuals deemed too dangerous for repatriation, saying, "Some of them are so bad, we don't even trust their home countries to hold them. Because we don't want them coming back, so we're going to send them to Guantanamo." This move aims to double the US capacity to detain such individuals, a step towards Trump's goal of eradicating migrant crime. 

The existing migrant facility at Guantanamo Bay, separate from the high-security prison for terrorism suspects, has been used intermittently for decades. Trump's border czar, Tom Homan, confirmed that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency would manage the expanded facility, describing it as a place for the 'worst of the worst.' Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem mentioned that funding for this expansion is being coordinated with Congress.

The decision has sparked criticism, with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel labelling it 'an act of brutality.' Pro-refugee groups have also condemned the move, urging for the facility's closure and a congressional investigation into alleged abuses. The International Refugee Assistance Project reported concerns about unsanitary conditions and inadequate facilities for families and children at the migrant center.

This development is part of broader immigration enforcement efforts by the Trump administration, including the deployment of troops to the US-Mexico border and military deportation flights. Trump's memorandum is part of a strategy to halt border crossings, dismantle criminal networks, and restore national sovereignty, aligning with his campaign promises.

The detention facility at Guantanamo Bay was set up in 2002 by former US President George W Bush to detain foreign militant suspects after the September 11, 2001, attacks. There are 15 detainees left in the prison. 

Trump’s Democratic predecessors Joe Biden and Barack Obama sought to shut down the Guantanamo prison but were able to only reduce the inmate population. 

(With agency inputs)