Hundreds from Army, Navy, Marine Corps Surge to Guantanamo Bay for Migrant Detention Operation
Military.com | By Drew F. Lawrence
Published February 13, 2025 at 6:28pm ET
The number of troops deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, under President Donald Trump's order to turn the Navy base into a detention camp for migrants arrested in the U.S. has nearly tripled -- to about 900 -- in little more than a week, according to a defense official on Thursday.
Military officials told lawmakers on Thursday there were approximately 68 migrants detained at Guantanamo Bay. Troops are being deployed to Guantanamo Bay in anticipation of holding 30,000 migrants there.
The surge in troops is the latest move in the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration, including efforts to stop migrants from crossing the southern border and deportation of those enforcement officials said are in the U.S. illegally. But sending migrants to Guantanamo -- made notorious for holding 9/11 terrorism suspects for decades -- has triggered a lawsuit and raised questions over the legality of the move, as well as the rights and vetting of people detained there.
The defense official, who asked for anonymity to provide information on troop movements to Military.com, said as of Thursday the 900 troops deployed to the island base include 334 Marines from 6th Marine Regiment out of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; 216 members of the National Guard; 160 Navy personnel; 116 service members assigned to Joint Task Force-Southern Guard; and 30 personnel from U.S. Southern Command.
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/02/13/number-of-troops-guantanamo-bay-swells-base-prepares-hold-30000-migrants.html
