‘Eye-opening’: Congressional delegation hypes Gitmo’s readiness as deportations start ramping up

Members of Congress visited Guantanamo Bay last week amid renewed attention on the military base, which is now being used to hold illegal immigrants, including some that may pose an additional security risk.

President Donald Trump is aiming to have up to 30,000 people who are in the United States illegally held at the facility before they face deportation with the goal of using the facility mainly for “the worst criminal aliens threatening the American people,” the president previously said.

“Yesterday, I led a Congressional Delegation to Guantanamo Bay to see firsthand the incredible work being done by our servicemembers to keep our nation safe,” Rep. Mike Rogers, chair of the House Armed Services Committee, said in a statement.

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“During our visit, we met with servicemembers and law enforcement officials who have played a crucial role in facilitating the removal of some of the worst criminals. Border security is national security and I’m proud of the role the Department of Defense has played in protecting our nation and ending the invasion at our southern border,” he continued.

As of last week, about 20 migrants are at the naval station, but over 250 have been at the base since the Trump policy was announced. Most of the 20 were considered “high threat,” Fox News reported. Roughly 200 were Venezuelans who have since been deported. 

“The visit to Naval Station Guantanamo Bay was an eye-opening experience that offered tremendous insights into the complexities of immigration policy and the importance of border security,” Rep. Don Davis, D-N.C., said in a statement.’

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“Understanding the deportation process firsthand is crucial for informing my decisions. I came away not only with a better perspective but also with a deeper appreciation for the service members and federal workers who work tirelessly to safeguard the American people,” Davis added.

The visit comes as there is an effort to ramp up deportations even further, whether it’s through law enforcement action or by one’s own choice. 

The “CBP Home” app launched this week with the goal of having people self-deport if they entered the country illegally, which is a major change from the “CBP One” app used to process migrants during the Biden administration. Millions of people were encountered by CBP crossing into the country illegally during the last administration. 

While encounters decreased slightly following an executive order from Biden last year, apprehension numbers torpedoed to just over 8,000 — the least ever noted by CBP.

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“It is clear that Guantanamo Bay is operational and equipped to conduct these deportations, with multiple agencies cooperating in this effort including the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security. With the strong commitment of Republicans in Congress, these deportations should continue and increase without interruption,” Rep. Abe Hamadeh, R-Ariz., told Fox News Digital in a statement.

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The delegation’s visit comes as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth toured Guantanamo Bay at the end of February, as the base holds both the “Migrant Operations Center” and the detention center that is most well-known for holding suspected terrorists in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.