Following President Donald Trump’s announcement this week that his administration intends to house thousands of migrants at a military camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem declared on Sunday that “due process will be followed” for all migrants housed at Guantanamo Bay.
“Due process will be followed, and having facilities at Guantanamo Bay will be an asset to us,” Noem stated in an interview on Sunday’s “Meet the Press” on NBC News. She also expressed gratitude for “the partnership of the DoD in getting that up to the level that it needs to get to in order to facilitate this repatriation of people back to their country.”
In his first two weeks in office, the Trump administration has made it a top priority to carry out his plans for the wholesale expulsion of illegal immigrants from the United States, which he frequently bragged about during the campaign last year.
The demand for additional detention space for migrants while they are being processed for deportation and repatriation to their home countries has increased due to the increased activity of immigration enforcement agencies in the last two weeks, which coincides with his plans to use Guantanamo Bay as a detention facility.
Detainees accused of aiding in the 9/11 attacks on the United States or other worldwide terror attacks have historically been housed in the military facility at Guantanamo.
The U.S. government has generally suspended due process for detainees there since the Bush administration, and in 2020, a federal appeals court upheld that norm, holding that inmates detained in Guantanamo are not entitled to due process.
In reference to those who have committed crimes while residing in the United States illegally, Noem reaffirmed the Trump administration’s intention to house the “worst of the worst” migrants at Guantanamo Bay.
“Keep in mind that this President has stated unequivocally that Guantanamo Bay will house the worst of the worst and that we are pursuing those bad actors.” I was in New York City last week. Noem told “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker, “We were pursuing individuals who had arrest warrants out for their crimes, including drug trafficking, gun purchases, assaults, and rapes and murders.”
However, Noem sidestepped several inquiries about whether the Cuban military facility could house women and children who were scheduled for deportation.
Noem responded, “If you look at what we are doing today, it’s targeting the worst of the worst, we’ve been very clear on that,” when asked if women and children would be detained at Guantanamo Bay. Targeting criminal aliens who are increasing the danger on our streets is this president’s top concern.
She continued, “After that, we have final removal orders on many individuals in this country, they are the next priority, and we’ll continue to work through people that are breaking the law, that are in danger to these communities, and use the detention centers that we have set up in order to facilitate this in an orderly way.”
In response to Welker’s repeated question about whether she could rule out housing women and children at Guantanamo Bay, Noem said, “We’re going to use the facilities that we have, and I think you’re well aware we have other detention facilities, other places in the country, so we will utilize what we have according to what’s appropriate for the individuals.”