The first flight with detained migrants from the United States to Guantanamo Bay has landed at the US naval base in Cuba, The Wall Street Journal reports, according to UNN.
Details
A flight from Fort Bliss, Texas, to Guantanamo Bay on Tuesday afternoon had about a dozen migrants on board, according to people familiar with the situation.
Tuesday's flight to Guantanamo Bay was reportedly carried out by a C-17 military aircraft.
White House press secretary Carolyn Leavitt confirmed the developments on Tuesday on Fox Business. "The first flights from the U.S. to Guantanamo Bay with illegal immigrants are already underway," she said, listing President Trump's recent immigration-related actions. "He's not joking," Leavitt said.
The US base at Guantanamo Bay has always had the capacity to hold some migrants, usually those caught traveling to the US by sea. The administration has said it will expand operations there to accommodate up to 30,000 people. The base is currently equipped to hold 120 migrants.
According to a US Defense Department official, about 200 marines have been sent to Guantanamo Bay in recent days. This number is expected to increase to 500 in the coming days, the official said. The Marines will help create infrastructure by adding tents to increase the facility's capacity.
Addendum
Last week, Trump ordered the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security to build a facility to "detain the most dangerous illegal immigrants who threaten the American people," as he said at the White House.