First military flight lands in Guantanamo Bay with migrants deported from the U.S.
The first military flight carrying migrants deported from the United States landed at Guantanamo Bay on February 4, 2025. This flight marks a significant development in the Trump administration’s strategy to utilize the naval base as a detention center for migrants, particularly those deemed high-risk.
Flight Origin: The C-17 cargo plane took off from El Paso, Texas, and arrived at Guantanamo Bay with 10 migrants on board, who are suspected members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
Detention Plans: The migrants will be held separately from existing detainees at Guantanamo Bay, under the supervision of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) rather than military personnel.
President Trump has emphasized the capacity of Guantanamo Bay to accommodate up to 30,000 migrants, asserting that the facility is well-suited for this purpose. He described the migrants as “rough” and expressed a desire to remove them from the U.S.. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth referred to Guantanamo as a “perfect place” for housing these individuals, citing its security features.
The decision to send migrants to Guantanamo has faced criticism from human rights advocates. Amy Fischer from Amnesty International condemned the move as “profoundly cruel,” arguing it would isolate migrants from legal support and family connections, effectively placing them in a “black hole” devoid of rights.
Currently, approximately 300 service members, including Marines, have been deployed to assist with the operations at Guantanamo Bay. This number is expected to fluctuate based on the needs outlined by the Department of Homeland Security.
This initial flight is seen as part of a broader strategy aimed at increasing deportations and managing illegal immigration more aggressively under the current administration’s policies.
