Civil rights attorneys have filed their second lawsuit in less than a month against the Trump administration over plans to hold up to 30,000 immigrants at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The latest case applies only to 10 men facing transfer to the naval base from Washington.
The lawsuit, backed by the American Civil Liberties Union, claims that the transfers violate the men’s right to due process and are arbitrary. It also argues that federal immigration law bars the transfer of non-Cuban migrants and that the US government has no authority to hold people outside its territory.
Guantanamo Bay is being used for the first time in US history to detain non-citizens on civil immigration charges, with at least 50 migrants already transferred there. The attorneys believe the number may be around 200.
The lawsuit comes after a previous federal judge blocked the transfer of three immigrants from Venezuela to Guantanamo Bay, citing false accusations and lack of communication with their attorneys. The men’s attorneys claim that many of those sent to the naval base have no serious criminal records or history.
The US government has argued that Guantanamo Bay is a suitable place to house migrants, but critics say the conditions there are inhumane. A UN investigator visited the military detention center in 2023 and reported ongoing cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment under international law.
The Trump administration has said it plans to dismantle criminal cartels, but the men’s attorneys argue that none of them have gang affiliations. The lawsuit seeks to halt imminent transfers and challenge the administration’s plans.
Source: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/lawyers-sue-to-stop-trump-administration-from-sending-10-migrants-to-guantanamo-bay