Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on the United States government to cease the transfer of immigrant detainees to the Guantánamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba. The organization issued this urgent appeal on Friday, highlighting serious concerns about the “abusive and inhumane detention conditions” faced by these individuals, which may constitute ill-treatment.
According to interviews conducted by HRW, many of the detainees were not informed that they were being taken to Guantánamo. They described being held incommunicado under unsanitary conditions, lacking any explanation about their legal status or notification to their families. HRW emphasized, “No immigrant who leaves their country in search of protection should be taken to a place like this.”
In late January 2025, former President Donald Trump signed a memorandum aimed at expanding the “Migrants Operations Centre” (GMOC) at Guantánamo, which would potentially accommodate up to 30,000 immigrants categorized as “the worst criminal illegal aliens.” Amnesty International criticized the plan, citing Guantánamo’s notorious history of human rights abuses.
In February 2025, nearly 200 Venezuelan migrants were transferred to Guantánamo Bay. Court documents indicate that 127 of these individuals were placed in a high-security area, while 51 were confined to low-security tent facilities. The majority of these detainees, totaling 177, were deported via a flight from Honduras en route to Venezuela.
Several civil rights organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the Center for Constitutional Rights, and the International Refugee Assistance Project, have filed lawsuits to block further transfers and ensure legal access for detainees. A second lawsuit followed in June 2025, underscoring the ongoing legal battles surrounding these transfers.
The Guantánamo facility was established in January 2002 during the post-9/11 “war on terror.” It was strategically placed offshore to circumvent legal restraints. International law, including the 1951 Refugee Convention, prohibits returning individuals to territories where their safety or freedom may be at risk. While the US has legal frameworks to grant asylum protections, HRW contends that these standards have been severely compromised by opaque procedures and extraterritorial detention at Guantánamo.
HRW has urged the US government to halt all current and future transfers of migrants to Guantánamo. The organization insists that detainees must receive due process, meaningful access to legal counsel, and that international human rights norms regarding transparency and the protection of asylum seekers must be respected.
The situation at Guantánamo Bay remains a focal point of contention as advocates for human rights continue to press for reforms and accountability regarding the treatment of immigrants and detainees within US custody.
