The last 40 illegal aliens detained at the U.S. naval base in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, have been flown to Louisiana, landing at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Alexandria this week.
The move, confirmed by defense officials to Fox News, marks the end of a short-lived and controversial experiment to use the infamous military outpost as a holding pen for migrants awaiting deportation.
The move ends a two-month experiment to use the naval base as a staging ground for deporting what Trump calls “criminal illegal aliens.”
While the effort didn’t fully take flight, it’s a sign the administration is doubling down on its promise to get tough on immigration, just not quite in the way everyone expected.
Trump kicked off the Guantánamo plan in late January, directing the Pentagon to prep the base for up to 30,000 migrants. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth backed the idea, telling Fox News it was “the perfect place” to hold “the worst of the worst” while deportations ramped up.
The first flight landed on February 4, but with the final group of 23 high-threat detainees and 17 others now transferred to Louisiana on ICE aircraft, Guantánamo‘s migrant mission has paused.
On one hand, progress was made.
Moving illegals out of the country or into secure U.S. facilities is precisely what Trump voters signed up for—the administration’s already deported hundreds, with Honduras taking 177 from Guantánamo last month alone. And using a military base notorious for locking up terrorists sent a clear message: Cross the border illegally, and you won’t get a free pass.
However, things didn’t go as planned.
Fewer than 300 migrants ever made it to Guantánamo, a far cry from the 30,000-bed vision. Fox News reported that the base’s new tents didn’t meet ICE standards and had no air conditioning, while legal challenges from immigration lawyers tied things up.
Shipping 40 illegal aliens back to Louisiana raises eyebrows; however, the bigger picture matters more.
Trump’s team is testing every tool in the box to deliver on his promise of mass deportations, from Guantánamo to old laws like the Alien Enemies Act. Louisiana’s Alexandria facility, right by the airport, keeps the process moving.
Where this goes next is the real test. Alexandria’s a pit stop. ICE and Homeland Security stayed quiet when Fox News asked what was next, which wasn’t ideal.
Transparency builds trust. But if the administration can pivot from Guantánamo’s hiccups to a streamlined system, then this detour might just be a speed bump.
Guantánamo didn’t stick, but Louisiana’s in play, and the message is clear: Illegal entry has consequences.
Trump ran on border security, and he’s delivering, even if the playbook’s still in draft mode.