Human Rights Group Demands End to Immigrant Transfers to Guantanamo
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on the United States government to immediately cease the transfer of immigrant detainees to the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba. The organization warns that these individuals face “abusive and inhumane detention conditions” that could amount to ill-treatment. HRW’s concerns stem from interviews with immigrants who reported being unaware they were being taken to Guantanamo, where they claim they were kept incommunicado, in unsanitary conditions, without clarity regarding their legal status, and without notifying their families.
In a statement, HRW emphasized, “No immigrant or refugee who leaves their country in search of protection should be taken to a place like this.” This statement underscores the organization’s position on the ethical implications of such transfers.
In late January 2025, former President Donald Trump issued a memorandum aimed at expanding the “Migrants Operations Centre” (GMOC) at Guantanamo to accommodate up to 30,000 immigrants identified as the “worst criminal illegal aliens.” This plan drew sharp criticism from various human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, which highlighted Guantanamo’s history of human rights abuses.
In February 2025, nearly 200 Venezuelan migrants were transferred to Guantanamo Bay, with court documents indicating that 127 were held in a high-security area and 51 were placed in low-security tent facilities. Most of these detainees, a total of 177, were deported via a flight from Honduras en route to Venezuela.
Legal challenges have emerged in response to these transfers. In March 2025, the American Civil Liberties Union, Center for Constitutional Rights, and International Refugee Assistance Project filed lawsuits aimed at blocking further transfers and securing legal access for detainees. A second lawsuit followed in June 2025, reflecting ongoing concerns about the treatment of these individuals.
Guantanamo Bay, established in January 2002 during the post-9/11 “war on terror,” was strategically placed offshore to circumvent certain legal restrictions. International law, including the Convention Against Torture, prohibits returning individuals to places where their safety may be at risk. While the United States has frameworks in place for granting asylum protections, HRW argues that these standards have been severely compromised by the lack of transparency and the extraterritorial nature of detention at Guantanamo.
HRW has urged the US government to halt all current and future transfers of migrants to Guantanamo. They also demand that detainees at the facility be granted due process, meaningful access to legal counsel, and adherence to international human rights norms that protect asylum seekers.
The implications of this situation extend beyond legal frameworks; they touch upon fundamental human rights and the ethical responsibilities of nations towards those seeking refuge. As the debate continues, the future of these detainees remains uncertain, and the call for accountability grows louder.
