U.S. Spends $40M to Detain 400 Migrants at Guantánamo

Senators Critique Guantánamo Bay Migrant Operation as Costly Misallocation of Resources

A bipartisan group of five U.S. senators recently condemned the ongoing migrant operation at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, labeling it a significant financial misallocation at a time when resources could be better utilized. This criticism came after the Pentagon disclosed that the costs associated with the operation had already soared to an estimated $40 million within its first month.

The Senate delegation traveled to the controversial U.S. base on a Friday, where they inspected Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities housing around 85 migrants. Notably, these migrants were being detained in a prison that has a history of housing wartime detainees linked to Al Qaeda. The senators, who engaged with officials from both the Defense and Homeland Security Departments during their visit, highlighted that staffing the migrant operation involves deploying about 1,000 government employees, primarily from the military.

The initiative to relocate migrants to Guantánamo Bay aligns with President Trump’s stricter stance on illegal immigration and has led to the transfer of fewer than 400 individuals to the base since February. Among those detained, at least half are reported to be Venezuelans. However, authorities have returned roughly half of these individuals to facilities within the United States without providing clarity on why so many migrants were transferred to Guantánamo for such brief stays.

As of Sunday, the number of immigration detainees present at Guantánamo reached 105. Senator Jack Reed from New Hampshire, who was part of the visiting delegation, expressed his discontent over the operation, stating that diverting military personnel from their primary duties to manage the migrant crisis at Guantánamo was both unnecessary and costly. Reed, who serves as the ranking Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, revealed in an interview that he was presented with estimates indicating the operation’s initial month saw expenditures of approximately $40 million.

Remarking on the exorbitant costs, Reed stated it was “extraordinarily expensive and unnecessary,” urging the administration to enhance ICE facilities within the continental United States instead. The other members of the delegation included Senators Jeanne Shaheen from New Hampshire, Gary Peters from Michigan, Alex Padilla from California, and Angus King, an independent from Maine.

The Defense Department informed Congress that as of March 12, the Guantánamo migrant mission cost approximately $39.3 million during a six-week timeframe when the Trump administration had facilitated the relocation of 290 migrants to the base. This figure included 177 Venezuelans who were repatriated, reflecting the administration’s ongoing efforts to curb illegal immigration.

The Senate’s trip to Guantánamo was relatively low-key compared to past visits from high-profile figures such as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who often drew media attention. Nevertheless, the delegation’s visit coincided with the transport of 13 Nicaraguans from an ICE facility in Louisiana to Guantánamo, a move described by a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson as involving individuals with gang affiliations.

Following their tour, the delegation issued a statement demanding the administration to "immediately cease this misguided mission," underscoring their outrage over the perceived waste of taxpayer dollars and the misappropriation of military resources. They criticized the migrant operation as “unsustainably expensive, operating under questionable legal authority, and harmful to our military readiness.”

Guantánamo’s unique geographical and operational challenges add to its exorbitant costs; being isolated from the rest of the island by a Cuban minefield necessitates self-sufficient energy and water production, with supplies transported from Florida via barge and aircraft. While the senators were critical of the mission, they expressed empathy for the estimated 900 military personnel and 100 homeland security employees mobilized to execute it. They noted that some troops had been sent to Guantánamo without advance notice, causing disruption to their critical duties.

ICE has discretion over its use of military aircraft, a detail communicated by unnamed government officials. The operation is reportedly governed by a confidential agreement between the Defense and Homeland Security Departments stipulating that only migrants affiliated with transnational criminal organizations should be relocated to Guantánamo Bay.

Notably, Hegseth had commented in January that the base would act as a temporary transit hub for individuals deemed “violent criminal illegals” pending their deportation. However, the administration has not substantiated claims regarding the criminal backgrounds of migrants held at the base, with investigations revealing that some individuals had previously violated U.S. immigration laws.

Since the first ten migrants were transferred to Guantánamo on February 4, a total of 395 individuals have been detained there according to tracking data. The process has included cases where migrants were quickly returned to ICE facilities in the U.S., with some subsequently deported.

The senators concluded their statement with a firm assertion that the ongoing military involvement in managing this migrant operation was not only financially imprudent but also entangled in legal ambiguity, advocating instead for a reevaluation of the approach to managing immigration issues.