The United States has begun dismantling a substantial portion of the migrant camp at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, as revealed by recent satellite images analyzed by BBC Verify. Initially constructed under President Donald Trump’s directive to accommodate up to 30,000 migrants, only a sparse number were actually held at the base.
According to a Department of Defense official, approximately $38 million was allocated for deportation and detention operations at Guantanamo Bay within just the first month of this year. However, satellite images from April 16 indicate that nearly two-thirds of the approximately 260 tents erected for migrants have already been taken down.
A US defense official explained the removal of the tents as "a deliberate and efficient use of resources," denying any implication of a reduction in readiness. Construction of the camp commenced immediately after President Trump announced his migration policy on January 30, 2017, continuing until early March with various temporary structures appearing in the imagery.
Early images captured around 260 military tents, but by mid-April, the number decreased notably. As of April 16, around 175 tents had been dismantled. The number of migrants still residing at the facility remains uncertain, though Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff, stated last week that the base still houses "a large number of foreign terrorist aliens."
Attempts to obtain a comment from the White House regarding the implications of the tent removals on Trump's expansion plans went unanswered. While the intentions behind the camp seem focused on processing dangerous undocumented migrants, reports indicate that only about 400 have been sent to Guantanamo, with over half returned to US facilities.
Recent visits from Democratic senators have raised alarm over the supposed financial waste and potential legal issues surrounding the camp, with claims that costs related to flying and detaining immigrants at Guantanamo come to "tens of millions of dollars a month." The sentiment reflects increasing scrutiny of the administration's containment strategies and the allocation of taxpayer funds.
Whether the future of the Guantanamo Bay facility continues to evolve with further removals remains to be seen, amidst ongoing debates on migration policy and national security.
