The White House confirmed Tuesday that the first flights transporting illegal immigrants to Guantanamo Bay are officially underway.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt made the announcement during an interview on Fox Business, emphasizing that President Donald Trump is following through on his commitment to stronger immigration enforcement.
The move comes after Trump signed the Laken Riley Act last week, a measure aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration and addressing migrant-related crime
“He’s making it clear that America will no longer be a dumping ground for criminals from around the world,” Leavitt told Fox Business host Stuart Varney.
She explained that in addition to the Guantanamo transfers, several countries have agreed to cooperate with repatriation efforts.
“Venezuela has agreed to repatriation flights, and Colombia has also committed to working with us to return illegal Colombian nationals who were found in the interior of our country,” she said. “And I can also confirm that today, the first flights from the United States to Guantanamo Bay with illegal migrants are underway.”
White House Press Secretary @karolineleavitt: "The first flights from the United States to Guantanamo Bay with illegal migrants are underway." pic.twitter.com/ZKn4FyRRui
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) February 4, 2025
The decision to use Guantanamo Bay, commonly known as Gitmo, as a detention site for certain illegal immigrants is a significant shift in U.S. immigration policy. The facility, which has historically been used to house terrorism suspects, will now serve as a high-security holding center for individuals deemed too dangerous to release or return to their home countries.
President Trump reinforced this point on Wednesday, stating that the measure is necessary to protect American citizens from violent criminals.
“Some of these individuals are so dangerous that we don’t even trust their home countries to hold them,” Trump said. “We don’t want them coming back, so we’re going to send them to Guantanamo. This move will immediately double our detention capacity.”
The facility has the capacity to hold up to 30,000 individuals, making it a key component of Trump’s broader immigration enforcement strategy.
The administration argues that by detaining the most dangerous criminal migrants in a secure offshore location, they can prevent repeat offenses and reduce crime rates in U.S. communities.
“Guantanamo is a tough place to get out of,” Trump added. “Today’s signing brings us one step closer to eliminating migrant crime from our communities once and for all.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.