The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has demanded access to migrants flown by the U.S. military to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. They claim that the Trump administration has provided minimal information about the migrants, raising concerns about potential violations of U.S. and international laws.
The ACLU and 14 other advocacy groups sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, requesting immediate access to nearly two dozen migrants recently transferred there. This access includes free and unmonitored phone calls and the opportunity for personal visits.
According to the advocacy groups, U.S. immigration detention should not be punitive or restrict access to legal representation. They emphasized that denying noncitizens access to counsel or communication while holding them offshore undermines their statutory and constitutional rights.
The groups raised objections to President Donald Trump's plan to expand capacity at the U.S. naval base to accommodate up to 30,000 people. The first flights carrying migrants arrived, prompting Noem's visit to the detention site on Friday.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security disclosed limited information about the migrants, stating that the initial group of about 10 individuals allegedly belonged to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. However, details regarding criminal charges or convictions were not provided.
Responding to the ACLU's concerns, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin suggested a possible misalignment of priorities, stating, If the American Civil Liberties Union cares more about highly dangerous criminal aliens...than they do about American citizens then they should change their name.
The Defense Department and State Department have not yet responded to requests for comment.