Written by Adoni Sopshire Edited by Andrew Hermann and Annika Lilja
Since the election of President Donald Trump, a new wave of mass deportations has begun. During Trump’s short time in office, up to 1,000 arrests per day have been documented by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), a sizable comparison to the 342 daily average during former President Biden’s 2024 term. According to Statistica, between Trump’s inauguration on January 20th and February 5th, the Trump Administration has deported a total of 4,745 Latin American undocumented immigrants to their countries of origin. But where are these immigrants sent when home is not an option?
Once arrested by ICE, detainees are held in detention centers. However, recent ICE reports have revealed its detention centers are at 109% capacity. There are simply not enough resources to account for the spike in detainees, and as a result, 160 detainees have been released from ICE custody (fitted with motion-tracking ankle monitors).
According to two US officials, Guantanamo Bay is a plausible solution to the abundance of migrants. A possible justification for this is the utilization of open space during the influx of illegal immigrants into the country. Although at the beginning of his term, Trump designated Guantanamo Bay exclusively for “high-risk” detainees– those who have committed violent crimes such as murder or rape– this has now expanded to “low-risk” migrants– those whose only crimes were entering the United States without proper permission. This change in rhetoric could be tied to the changing perception of immigrants and the threat they pose to American citizens. According to these officials, who spoke through CBS News, high-risk migrants have been detained in cells at Guantanamo's maximum-security prison, while the low-risk detainees have been placed in a barrack-like facility known as the Migrant Operations Center that includes rooms with restrooms.
Although living situations might differ in style, the bottom line remains the same: migrants fleeing violence in search of American liberties may very well end up next to some of the most notorious criminals. This alleged violation of human rights has led to the Trump administration being sued by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on the basis of both the lack of information provided on immigrants sent to Guantanamo Bay and the perceived violation of the US Constitution by the Trump administration. In discussing the lawsuit, the ACLU writes, “we see Trump's actions for what they are — performative cruelty mixed with another authoritarian power grab.”
Many American citizens have stood in solidarity for both migrants at risk of deportation and those who have been deported. Among the protests, one of the most notable demonstrations was a boycott labeled “A Day Without Immigrants.” This boycott encouraged immigrants to abstain from work, school, shopping, and any economic activities to emphasize the role immigrants play in day-to-day life and the US economy.
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