Somali Immigrants Detained at Guantanamo Bay After ICE Deportation Attempt

In late August, ICE moved twelve Somali immigrants on a plane, telling them they would be sent back to Somalia, but the flight landed at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Seven or eight of the men are still confined in the Migrant Operations Center, a section of the base used for immigration detainees, and report harsh conditions such as low temperatures and continuous shackles. A DHS spokesperson asserted the group includes individuals with serious criminal backgrounds and that each has a final removal order from an immigration judge, though no detailed records were provided.

Several of the detainees, including Sakariye Abdi Mohamed, maintain they have no criminal convictions and are pursuing asylum or habeas corpus relief. The situation reflects President Donald Trump's broader policy to expand detention of certain immigrant groups at the Guantanamo facility.