Guantanamo's Migrant Camp Sees Significant Reductions, Satellite Images Indicate

The US has removed a significant portion of tents from a migrant housing facility at Guantanamo Bay, suggesting a reevaluation of the Biden administration's immigration strategy. Initial plans under Trump aimed to expand the facility, but recent satellite images indicate a reduction in operations.

The US has recently dismantled a considerable section of a camp originally constructed to accommodate migrants at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, as revealed by satellite images analyzed by BBC Verify. Initially ordered by then-President Donald Trump in January, the facility was intended to expand capacity to 30,000 migrants, but only a handful have ever occupied the site.

In the first month of operations in 2023, around $38 million was allocated by the Pentagon for deportation and detention efforts at Guantanamo. However, recent satellite imagery indicates that approximately two-thirds of the roughly 260 tents erected for this purpose had been taken down by April 16.

When approached for clarification on the tent removals, a US defense representative explained that the actions reflect a "deliberate and efficient use of resources," rather than a downgrade in operational readiness. The construction of the camp began immediately after Trump's announcement, with tents being erected between January 30 and February 12, 2023. Ongoing development was visible until March 8, with images showing construction of temporary structures.

The facility represents an extension of the existing Guantanamo Migrant Operations Center, which has functioned for years to house some migrants, distinct from the high-security military prison reserved for alleged terrorists. Early images from April 1 showed around 260 green and white military tents, but by April 10, many were absent, and as of April 16, around 175 tents appeared to have been dismantled.

It remains unclear how many migrants still reside at the facility. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller maintains that the base remains active, claiming a "large number of foreign terrorist aliens" continue to be detained there. The White House has not commented on whether the tent removals indicate a reversal of Trump’s initial plans for expansion.

Despite Trump’s declarations about sending 30,000 migrants to the camp, a Department of Defense official clarified that the deployment was predominantly for a population of 2,500 detainees. BBC Verify’s assessment of the tent capacity suggests it could house fewer than 3,000 people, based on military guidelines for sleeping arrangements.

While Trump aimed to use the camp for undocumented migrants classified as dangerous or national security threats, reports indicate that approximately 400 migrants have been sent to Guantanamo since the camp's inception, with over half being returned to US facilities or deported elsewhere.

On March 28, a group of five Democratic senators visited the base, expressing outrage over the costly military resource allocation for detained migrants, labeling it wasteful and an affront to American taxpayers. The senators also condemned the approach as an attempt to undermine due process and evade legal accountability.