The Trump administration spent more than $21 million transporting migrants to the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base as part of a controversial immigration crackdown, according to Pentagon data provided to Congress.
The information was released in response to questions from Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Between January 20 and April 8, the US transportation command operated 46 military flights carrying migrants to Guantanamo Bay, totalling 802.5 flight hours at an average cost of $26,277 per hour.
According to CBS News, this brought the overall cost to approximately $21 million. The defense department also disclosed that 31 additional flights carried military personnel, equipment, and supplies, incurring another $1.67 million in expenses, most of which went to United Airlines and charter company Omni Air International. These commercial flights did not transport migrants.
US President Donald Trump announced in January that Guantanamo Bay would serve as a detention site for up to 30,000 migrants, prioritising those he called the “worst offenders.” However, the facility has held fewer than 500 migrants in total and never more than 200 at any given time, reported NBC News.
A defense official cited by NBC revealed that just 32 migrants remain detained there.
Many migrants flown to Guantanamo were eventually sent back to the US or transferred elsewhere, undermining the administration's promise of a long-term holding strategy.
As per CBS News, both high-threat and low-risk individuals had been detained at the base under broad criteria set by the administration, sparking legal and ethical concerns.
The project, dubbed " Operation Southern Guard " and led by the department of homeland security with support from immigration and customs enforcement and the US military, was met with logistical issues, internal disagreements, and criticism from lawmakers.
“Every American should be outraged by Donald Trump wasting military resources to pay for his political stunts that do not make us safer,” Warren said in a statement. “US service members did not sign up for this abuse of power.”
Following the backlash and high costs, DHS suspended military deportation flights on March 1 and began using commercial airlines, which were deemed more cost-effective, reported The Independent.
The agency has also launched a voluntary self-deportation programme via the CBP Home app, offering $1,000 to undocumented immigrants who choose to leave the US voluntarily, a measure aimed at reducing deportation costs by up to 70 percent.
Despite these changes, NBC News reported that preparations are underway to increase Guantanamo’s capacity, with an additional weekly flight ordered by the US transportation command.
The information was released in response to questions from Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Between January 20 and April 8, the US transportation command operated 46 military flights carrying migrants to Guantanamo Bay, totalling 802.5 flight hours at an average cost of $26,277 per hour.
According to CBS News, this brought the overall cost to approximately $21 million. The defense department also disclosed that 31 additional flights carried military personnel, equipment, and supplies, incurring another $1.67 million in expenses, most of which went to United Airlines and charter company Omni Air International. These commercial flights did not transport migrants.
US President Donald Trump announced in January that Guantanamo Bay would serve as a detention site for up to 30,000 migrants, prioritising those he called the “worst offenders.” However, the facility has held fewer than 500 migrants in total and never more than 200 at any given time, reported NBC News.
A defense official cited by NBC revealed that just 32 migrants remain detained there.
Many migrants flown to Guantanamo were eventually sent back to the US or transferred elsewhere, undermining the administration's promise of a long-term holding strategy.
As per CBS News, both high-threat and low-risk individuals had been detained at the base under broad criteria set by the administration, sparking legal and ethical concerns.
The project, dubbed " Operation Southern Guard " and led by the department of homeland security with support from immigration and customs enforcement and the US military, was met with logistical issues, internal disagreements, and criticism from lawmakers.
“Every American should be outraged by Donald Trump wasting military resources to pay for his political stunts that do not make us safer,” Warren said in a statement. “US service members did not sign up for this abuse of power.”
Following the backlash and high costs, DHS suspended military deportation flights on March 1 and began using commercial airlines, which were deemed more cost-effective, reported The Independent.
The agency has also launched a voluntary self-deportation programme via the CBP Home app, offering $1,000 to undocumented immigrants who choose to leave the US voluntarily, a measure aimed at reducing deportation costs by up to 70 percent.
Despite these changes, NBC News reported that preparations are underway to increase Guantanamo’s capacity, with an additional weekly flight ordered by the US transportation command.
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