Trump's Guantanamo Migrant Plan Costs Millions While Holding Just Six
On May 11, 2026, the United States was holding six Haitian immigration detainees at Guantanamo Bay, underscoring that President Trump's plan to detain large numbers there has left the facility largely unused.[1]
Internal documents show the civil-immigration detention capacity is about 400 beds, meaning less than 2% were occupied on May 11.[1] The Defense Department told Congress the Guantanamo immigration mission is projected to cost $73 million for the military and has assigned 522 DOD personnel plus about 60 ICE and civilian staff. Since February 2025, 832 immigration detainees have been transferred to Guantanamo on more than 100 flights, though only six remained in custody on May 11.
Since February 2025 the administration moved migrants to Guantanamo after President Trump vowed to hold as many as 30,000 people there, a promise that has not materialized.[1] The transfers and staffing have continued even as the number detained at the base has dwindled.
The gap between the initial vow and the current occupancy has raised questions about cost and purpose, given the multi-million dollar projection and the hundreds of military and civilian personnel now assigned to the mission.
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📌 Key Facts
- On May 11, 2026, the U.S. was holding six Haitian immigration detainees at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base.
- Internal documents indicate Guantanamo's civil-immigration detention capacity is about 400 beds, meaning less than 2% were occupied on May 11.
- The Defense Department told Congress the Guantanamo immigration mission is projected to cost $73 million for the military, and has assigned 522 DOD personnel plus about 60 ICE and civilian staff.
- Since February 2025, 832 immigration detainees have been transferred to Guantanamo on more than 100 flights.
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