Donald Trump issues order for 30,000 migrants to be moved to Guantanamo Bay

Only 15 prisoners are currently housed at the Cuban facility.

The returning president has said that migrants who cannot be returned to their home countries will be held at the notorious naval base and military prison.

Guantanamo Bay was set up in 2002 by then president George W. Bush to hold detainees in the wake of 9/11 and the War on Terror.

At its peak, about 680 people were held at the American-run prison.

Now, just 15 prisoners remain - including Ramzi bin al Shibh, accused of being a 9/11 co-conspirator.

At the moment, the site houses a small migrant holding centre - used to hold migrants who are intercepted at sea trying to reach America.

"I'm signing an executive order to instruct the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security to begin preparing the 30,000-person migrant facility at Guantanamo Bay," President Trump explained.

"Most people don't even know about it. We have 30,000 beds in Guantanamo to detain the worst criminal illegal aliens threatening the American people.

"Some of them are so bad we don't even trust the countries to hold them, because we don't want them coming back."

Guantanamo Bay has been criticised by human rights groups and legal campaigners over potential breaches of international laws and conditions.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel deemed the decision as "an act of brutality" in a message on his X account, and he described the base as one "located in illegally occupied Cuba territory".

En acto de brutalidad, nuevo gobierno de EEUU anuncia encarcelamiento en Base Naval en Guantánamo, ubicada en territorio de #Cuba ilegalmente ocupado, de miles de migrantes que expulsa forzosamente, a los que ubicará junto a las conocidas cárceles de tortura y detención ilegal.

— Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez (@DiazCanelB) January 29, 2025

Former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci - who briefly served under the previous Trump administration - also reacted to the announcement.

He wrote on X: "Also known as a concentration camp. Yet no dissent. No courageous political leader willing to stand up to this."

Also known as a concentration camp. Yet no dissent. No courageous political leader willing to stand up to this. https://t.co/5RFRW4CPBp

— Anthony Scaramucci (@Scaramucci) January 29, 2025