John,
Donald Trump and his allies are moving swiftly to resurrect one of America’s most infamous policies -- detaining people indefinitely at Guantánamo Bay.
But this time, they want to take it even further by converting the facility into a massive immigrant prison, holding tens of thousands of migrants in a location far from U.S. soil, shielded from public oversight, and with little to no legal access.
Guantánamo Bay has long been associated with human rights abuses. Under President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, detainees were subjected to waterboarding, forced feedings, and indefinite detention without trial. Some had been turned over to American forces by warlords who sought to eliminate rivals rather than actual terrorists.
Now, the prospect of using this same facility to imprison asylum seekers -- many of whom are themselves fleeing violence and persecution -- is unconscionable. Instead of finding refuge, these migrants would be retraumatized, locked away in a prison notorious for systematic inhumane treatment.
With a government funding deadline approaching on March 14, lawmakers have a critical chance to ensure that no taxpayer dollars are allocated to extend immigrant detention to Guantánamo Bay.
Send a direct message to Congress demanding immediate action to block funding for this reckless plan now.
The legal issues are just as alarming. Many of these migrants have the right to seek asylum under U.S. and international law, yet imprisoning them offshore effectively denies them due process and legal representation. Constitutional experts warn that this scheme could violate both U.S. and international law, further eroding America’s commitment to human rights.
Further implications are even more chilling. Equipping Guantánamo now for tens of thousands of prisoners would lay the groundwork for a permanent offshore detention system, operating outside U.S. legal protections. This sets a toxic precedent, particularly under a president who openly harbors autocratic ambitions.
If migrants can be indefinitely detained in a legal black hole, what prevents such a prison from growing to include American citizens, trans people, political dissidents, or anyone Trump labels as “vermin”? History shows how detention camps can become sites of brainwashing, torture, and banishment under dictatorships -- whether in Soviet gulags, China’s re-education camps, or even Nazi death camps.
The U.S. must not travel down such dark roads.
Even as a practical matter, the plan is a terrible waste of taxpayer money. Guantánamo is already the most expensive prison on Earth, costing hundreds of millions of dollars per year in total -- over $13 million per detainee annually. Any lawmaker who claims to care about “fiscal responsibility” should be outraged at such reckless spending.
Tell Congress: This cannot be allowed to happen. No U.S. dollars should be spent turning Guantánamo Bay into an immigrant prison.
Let’s make sure Congress understands: This legal, moral, and ethical nightmare must be stopped now.
- DFA AF Team
