A recent government memo obtained by CBS News reveals that the Trump administration has created broad rules dictating which migrants can be held at Guantanamo Bay. Despite previous statements by President Trump that only the “worst” offenders would be held at the naval base, the memo allows officials to send non-criminal detainees there, based on broad and vague criteria.
The memo, signed by top officials from the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense, allows for the detention of migrants with final deportation orders who have a connection to transnational criminal organizations or drug activity. However, the definition of a connection is broad and could apply to many migrants crossing the U.S. southern border.
The memo’s rules do not include a thorough assessment of whether a migrant poses a threat before being transferred to Guantanamo. This has raised concerns among immigration experts, who argue that the guidelines are too broad and lack individualized assessments.
Despite the controversy, the Trump administration has not indicated any plans to stop using Guantanamo as a detention site for migrants. The memo also sheds light on the conditions at the base, including the roles of various government agencies in overseeing the detention of migrants.
Legal challenges by advocates, including the ACLU, have been filed against the administration’s use of Guantanamo to detain migrants. Critics have raised concerns about the inhumane conditions at the base and the lack of access to legal representation for detainees.
The Trump administration’s aggressive crackdown on immigration continues to face scrutiny over its treatment of migrants, with Guantanamo Bay emerging as a high-profile yet secretive component of its immigration policy.
