Hegseth to Visit Guantanamo Bay on Tuesday

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks during join press conference with his Polish counterpart after their meeting at the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Warsaw on Feb. 14, 2025. Wojtek Radwanski/AFP via Getty Images

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Tuesday will visit Guantanamo Bay, the U.S. naval base in Cuba where illegal immigrants have been temporarily held.

According to a statement by the Department of Defense, Hegseth will receive briefings on all operations at the base, including the Migrant Operations Center and the Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility.

While Guantanamo Bay serves as a military base, it also facilitates the temporary detention of illegal immigrants who are waiting to be deported to their home countries or other destinations under President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

Nearly 200 Venezuelan illegal immigrants in the U.S. have been returned to their home country after being detained at Guantanamo Bay.

The Trump administration has prioritized deporting individuals who exhausted all legal appeals to remain in the United States. According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), nearly 1.5 million illegal immigrants had final removal orders as of Nov. 24, 2024, including more than 22,000 Venezuelans.

Trump issued an executive order on Jan. 29 that directed the defense secretary and the homeland security secretary to expand the Migrant Operations Center at the base “to full capacity” in order to make additional detention space for “high-priority” illegal immigrants.

The George W. Bush administration first opened the detention center in January 2002 after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and Afghanistan invasion. It was meant to hold individuals suspected of ties to al-Qaeda and the Taliban in what the U.S. government referred to as its “war on terror.” The facility throughout the decades has been criticized over the treatment of prisoners and prolonged imprisonment of people without charge.

In 2021, former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the facility served its purpose at the time but should be shut down for good.

Former President Joe Biden early in his term committed to closing it down following a review of the detention center, continuing efforts initiated by President Barack Obama.

While visiting Guantanamo Bay, Hegseth will also meet with U.S. service members at the naval base and aboard the USS Thomas Hudner to thank them for their service to the country and engage with them about their experiences there.

“The Secretary’s trip underscores the Department’s commitment to ensuring the security and operational effectiveness of Guantanamo Bay Naval Station and provides an opportunity to engage with the dedicated service members and personnel who play a vital role in the base’s mission,” the Pentagon said.

Tuesday’s trip marks Hegseth’s first visit to the facility since his confirmation. Hegseth himself was once deployed to Guantanamo Bay while serving in the U.S. Army National Guard.

From NTD News