WASHINGTON (AP) — The inaugural U.S. military flight for the purpose of deporting migrants from the United States to Guantanamo Bay executed a successful landing in Cuba on the evening of Tuesday, as confirmed by a U.S. official. This marked the initial phase of an anticipated escalation in the volume of migrants being transferred to the U.S. naval base, historically renowned for its role in detaining individuals linked to the September 11, 2001, attacks.
President Donald Trump has identified the facility as a prospective holding center, asserting its capability to accommodate up to 30,000 individuals. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who served at Guantanamo Bay during his active duty tenure, has lauded it as an ideal location for the temporary lodging of migrants. Recent days have witnessed the arrival of additional U.S. troops at the base to assist in the preparatory efforts.
Amy Fischer, heading the Refugee and Migrant Rights Program at Amnesty International USA, expressed strong disapproval regarding the utilization of Guantanamo. In a public statement, Fischer condemned the decision to send immigrants there as a deeply inhumane and financially burdensome measure. She highlighted the detrimental impact of isolating individuals from legal counsel, familial ties, and support networks, effectively submerging them in a realm of obscurity where the U.S. government can perpetuate human rights violations with impunity. Fischer emphatically called for the immediate and permanent closure of the Guantanamo Bay facility.
Furthermore, the U.S. facilitated the repatriation of Indian immigrants to India on the preceding Monday, as disclosed by a second U.S. official speaking on the condition of anonymity to divulge information that had not yet been disclosed to the public. Prior to this, there had been seven deportation flights to various destinations, including Ecuador, Guam, Honduras, and Peru. Additionally, Colombian authorities conducted flights to the U.S. to return migrants to their homeland.
Currently, an estimated 300 service members are involved in supporting the detention activities at Guantanamo Bay, with the personnel numbers subject to fluctuation based on the mandates of the Department of Homeland Security, the primary federal agency overseeing this operation. Among the service members present, at least 230 are U.S. Marines from the 6th Marine Regiment, with their deployment having commenced on the preceding Friday.
The United States is home to over 725,000 unauthorized Indian immigrants, positioning India as the third-largest source country following Mexico and El Salvador, according to data from the Pew Research Center. Recent trends have also revealed a surge in the number of Indian nationals attempting illegal entry into the U.S. via the U.S.-Canada border. Border Patrol records indicate that over 14,000 Indians were apprehended at the Canadian border in the year ending on September 30, constituting 60% of all arrests along that border and marking a significant increase from figures recorded just two years prior.
___AP writer Rebecca Santana contributed to this report
