Federal Court Halts Plan to Detain Immigrants at Controversial Site

Immigration law book gavel and scales of justice

A federal court has halted the Trump administration’s plan to transfer Venezuelan immigrants to Guantánamo Bay, raising questions about the legality and ethics of such moves.

Key Takeaways

A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order preventing the transfer of three Venezuelan immigrants to Guantánamo Bay.
The immigrants, currently held in New Mexico, are allegedly falsely accused of connections to the Tren de Aragua gang.
This case is part of a larger lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
The administration plans to expand Guantánamo Bay to hold up to 30,000 “criminal illegal aliens.”
Human rights advocates criticize the use of Guantánamo for immigration detention as a legal and moral mistake.

Court Blocks Controversial Transfer

In a significant development, a federal court has issued a temporary restraining order against the Trump administration’s attempt to move three Venezuelan immigrants from New Mexico to the Guantánamo Bay detention camp. The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by advocacy groups challenging the ethical and legal validity of incarcerating immigrants in a facility known for its association with terrorism suspects and lack of transparency.

Judge Kenneth J. Gonzales of the Federal District Court for New Mexico granted the temporary restraining order, preventing the transfer of the immigrants. The case forms part of a larger debate over U.S. immigration enforcement tactics targeting undocumented residents, highlighting the tensions between security measures and human rights concerns.

BREAKING: Obama-Appointed Judge Kenneth Gonzales Decides to Block Trump Admin From Sending Three Venezuelan Immigrants to Guantanamo Bay pic.twitter.com/21QKXtDTJe

— Wake Up America (@_wake_up_USA) February 10, 2025

Administration’s Plans for Guantánamo Expansion

The Trump administration has announced plans to expand the use of Guantánamo Bay for immigration detention. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the administration’s intentions, stating, “Trump has promised to expand the detention camp to hold up to 30,000 ‘criminal illegal aliens.'”

“We have 30,000 beds in Guantanamo to detain the worst criminal illegal aliens threatening the American people. Some people are so bad, we don’t even trust the countries to hold them because we don’t want them coming back, so we’re going to send them out to Guantanamo”, President Donald Trump emphasized.

This move has been supported by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who argued that Guantánamo is “the perfect place to provide for migrants who are traveling out of our country through gray tails or other assets, but also hardened criminals.”

Legal Challenges and Human Rights Concerns

The case against the transfer of the three Venezuelan immigrants was brought by the Center for Constitutional Rights, ACLU of New Mexico, and Las Americas Immigrant Advisory Center. Lawyers representing the immigrants insist that the allegations of criminal activities purportedly linking their clients to justify the deportation are unfounded.

Human rights advocates have strongly criticized the plan to use Guantánamo for immigration detention. Eleanor Acer from Human Rights First described the move as a legal, moral, and strategic mistake. The lack of transparency and limited access to legal counsel at Guantánamo have raised concerns about due process and human rights violations.

Ongoing Immigration Enforcement

Since January 20, over 8,000 immigrants have been arrested as part of Trump’s immigration policies. While some have been released back into the U.S., others face potential transfer to facilities like Guantánamo Bay. The administration’s approach has sparked intense debate and legal challenges from immigration advocates and civil rights organizations.

As this case unfolds, it is likely to have significant implications for U.S. immigration policy and the treatment of detained immigrants. The use of Guantánamo Bay for immigration detention remains a contentious issue, with legal battles expected to continue in the coming months.