Challenges and Costs Hamper Efforts to Expand Migrant Detention at Guantánamo

The Trump administration’s plan to detain up to 30,000 migrants at the Guantánamo Bay Naval Station has encountered significant logistical, financial, and legal challenges.

Despite initial efforts to increase capacity at the facility, the number of detainees has remained far below expectations, raising questions about the feasibility of the initiative.

In late January, President Donald Trump directed US agencies to use Guantánamo Bay as a key detention site for migrants as part of a broader deportation campaign. The administration argued that the move would immediately double detention capacity. However, nearly two months later, the facility has struggled to operate at scale.

As of this week, there are no migrants being held at Guantánamo. Earlier this month, the remaining 40 detainees were flown back to the United States, and there are currently no scheduled flights to bring additional migrants to the facility. In total, around 300 migrants have been held there since the initiative began.

One of the major obstacles to the plan is the cost of housing and transporting detainees to Guantánamo. The US military facility has long been known for its high operational expenses, particularly due to its role in detaining terrorism suspects. According to Defense Department records, the daily cost of holding a detainee at Guantánamo is approximately $16,540—significantly higher than the average cost of detaining a migrant in US-based immigration centers, which is around $157 per day.

The military has also faced logistical challenges in preparing the base to accommodate large numbers of migrants. While authorities have erected 195 tents to expand detention capacity, these remain unused due to the lack of necessary infrastructure, including electricity and air conditioning. Without these upgrades, the facility’s capacity is limited to 180 migrants. Officials have been reluctant to invest further resources into upgrading the site without a clear indication that detainees will continue to be sent there.

Additionally, the cost of transporting migrants to the naval base has been considerable. The use of military aircraft, such as C-130s and C-17s, has resulted in expenses exceeding $20,000 per migrant. A Pentagon analysis estimated that at least $4 million had been spent on flights to Guantánamo before the recent suspension of transfers.

The administration’s efforts have also faced scrutiny from human rights organizations and legal experts. Civil rights groups have filed lawsuits challenging the legality of detaining migrants at Guantánamo, arguing that it sets a dangerous precedent by treating them similarly to terrorism suspects.

Reports from migrants previously held at the facility have raised concerns about their treatment. Some former detainees described being subjected to invasive searches, limited access to outdoor spaces, and a lack of legal representation. These conditions have drawn criticism from members of Congress who visited the facility and called for greater transparency regarding the administration’s detention policies.

Defense officials have also expressed concerns about the military’s role in migrant detention, noting that Guantánamo was originally designed for handling war prisoners, not immigration enforcement. Some experts argue that relying on the military for this purpose diverts resources from national defense priorities.

The future of the administration’s plan remains unclear. While the White House has blamed operational setbacks on changes made under the Biden administration, officials acknowledge that expanding migrant detention at Guantánamo would require significant financial investment and infrastructure improvements.

Recent reports indicate that all migrants previously held at the base have been relocated to Louisiana, but it remains uncertain whether new detainees will be sent to Guantánamo in the future. The administration has not provided details on whether it will continue to pursue the original goal of housing up to 30,000 migrants at the facility.

With input from the Washington Post and FOX News.