Financially.site – In a controversial move, President Donald Trump has announced plans to construct a new migrant detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, with the capacity to hold up to 30,000 individuals.
This facility, distinct from the existing high-security military prison, is intended to house what Trump describes as “the worst criminal illegal aliens threatening the American people.”
Guantanamo Bay has a long history of being utilized for the detention of immigrants, a practice that has drawn criticism from various human rights organizations.
The announcement comes amid heightened tensions surrounding immigration policies and enforcement.
On Wednesday, Tom Homan, Trump’s “border czar,” revealed that the current facility would be expanded and operated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
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He indicated that migrants could be transported directly to the facility after being intercepted at sea by the U.S. Coast Guard, assuring that the “highest” standards of detention would be upheld.
Details regarding the cost and timeline for the facility’s completion remain unclear. The Cuban government swiftly condemned the plan, accusing the United States of engaging in torture and illegal detention on “occupied” territory.
Trump’s announcement coincided with the signing of the Laken Riley Act, legislation mandating that undocumented immigrants arrested for theft or violent crimes be held in jail pending trial.
This bill, named after a Georgia nursing student murdered by a Venezuelan migrant last year, was recently approved by Congress, marking an early legislative victory for the administration.
As fears escalate within migrant communities due to intensified raids by the Trump administration, the Laken Riley Act has been seen as a significant step in the administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration.
During a signing ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Trump stated that the new executive order for Guantanamo would direct the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security to “begin preparing” the 30,000-bed facility. ”
Some of them are so bad we don’t even trust the countries to hold them, because we don’t want them coming back,” he remarked about the migrants. “So we’re going to send them to Guantanamo… it’s a tough place to get out.”
