A flight carrying a group of migrants landed at Guantanamo Bay on Tuesday evening. The U.S. government is using this high-security facility to manage some immigration cases. The flight originated in El Paso, Texas, and landed at 7:20 PM ET.
The Department of Homeland Security reports that the ten people on board are suspected members of the Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua. This indicates a change in how the U.S. government is dealing with specific immigration cases. It primarily focuses on individuals suspected of gang membership. Because Guantanamo Bay is usually used for terrorism suspects, using it for migrants has led to debate.
These migrants will be under the control of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). That’s different from the current detainees at Guantanamo Bay. Therefore, immigration laws and processes will apply to them. However, keeping them at Guantanamo Bay raises concerns. It could be difficult for them to get lawyers and fair hearings.
This decision comes during ongoing discussions about immigration policies and border security. Now, using Guantanamo Bay for immigration detention makes these discussions more complex. It also raises questions about the government’s plan. The main question centers around how to deal with people suspected of gang ties within the migrant population.