Dozens of US and international human rights organisations have condemned reported plans by the US administration to establish a migrant detention facility at Guantánamo Bay for Cubans fleeing a potential humanitarian crisis.
In a joint letter to members of Congress, 85 advocacy groups expressed “profound concern” over comments made by a senior US defence commander suggesting that the military could set up a migrant “camp” at the Guantánamo Bay base if conditions in Cuba deteriorate.
The groups described any expansion of migrant detention at the facility as “deeply troubling and unacceptable,” urging lawmakers to prevent further funding for detention operations at the site.
The warning follows testimony to Congress in which a US Southern Command official said the Pentagon could support the Department of Homeland Security in managing a large-scale migration event, including setting up temporary camps at Guantánamo Bay to process migrants.
Human rights organisations argue that Guantánamo has long been associated with allegations of poor conditions, lack of due process, and mistreatment of detainees, and should not be used for expanded immigration detention.
They also called for an end to policies they say contribute to worsening conditions in Cuba, including sanctions and restrictions that, according to the groups, are deepening the humanitarian situation.
The Guantánamo Bay facility already includes a Migrant Operations Center, which has been used for decades to hold migrants intercepted at sea. However, critics say expanding its role would mark a significant escalation in US immigration enforcement policy.
Some groups involved in the letter include legal, religious, and human rights organisations such as the Center for Constitutional Rights, Amnesty International affiliates, Refugees International, and others.
The US government has previously used Guantánamo for limited migrant detention, but past expansion efforts have drawn widespread criticism and logistical challenges.
The proposal comes amid ongoing debate over US immigration policy and the handling of potential migration flows from the Caribbean region.
Human rights advocates are urging Congress to block any expansion of detention facilities at Guantánamo Bay, warning it would set a dangerous precedent for migrant treatment and due process.
