First military flight to send migrants to Guantanamo Bay is set to depart, official says The first U.S. military flight to deport migrants from the United States to Guantanamo Bay was set to depart Tuesday, a U.S. official said.
In addition, the U.S. flew Indian migrants back to India on Monday and that flight was still in progress as of midday Tuesday, the U.S. official said.
It is the first step in what is expected to be a surge in the number of migrants held at the Navy base in Cuba, which for decades was primarily used to detain foreigners associated with the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who was assigned to Guantanamo Bay when he was on active duty, has called it a “perfect place” to house migrants.
President Donald Trump has eyed the facility as a holding center and said it has the capacity to hold as many as 30,000.
