U.S. to expand migrant detention at Guantanamo Bay, preparing to house up to 30,000 immigrants, starting flights soon.

The Trump administration is expanding operations at the American naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to accommodate detained migrants.

The first flight transporting these migrants is scheduled to depart from the U.S. to Guantanamo Bay. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Fox Business that illegal migrants are being moved to the facility.

Currently, the base can hold 120 migrants, but plans are in place to expand this capacity to 30,000. Approximately 200 Marines have been sent to Guantanamo, with numbers anticipated to increase to 500, to assist in establishing additional infrastructure.

President Trump has directed the Pentagon and Homeland Security Department to construct facilities for holding illegal migrants, citing rising crime concerns linked to undocumented individuals. The use of Guantanamo Bay for migrant detention has drawn criticism from advocacy groups for poor conditions and lack of oversight.

The International Refugee Assistance Project highlighted past issues within the detention center, including inadequate facilities and lack of communication for detainees with legal representatives. Concerns have been raised about potential violations of human rights, indefinite detention, and family separations.

The first flight will depart on a C-17 military jet, which is more costly than standard flights used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The detention centre, which has operated since the 1990s, has recently housed a limited number of migrants under the Biden administration for resettlement.