Trump Administration Faces Lawsuit Over Migrant Detentions at Guantanamo

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The Trump administration is being sued by relatives of three Venezuelan migrants reportedly transferred to Guantanamo Bay without legal representation or communication. The lawsuit, filed on February 13, 2025, claims that Yajaira Castillo and two other families have lost contact with their loved ones, who were previously detained in Texas before their transfer to the U.S. military prison in Cuba.

The legal action asserts that the detainees, held incommunicado, are being treated similarly to those captured during the War on Terror, raising concerns about human rights violations. "Guantanamo is a notorious prison used when the U.S. government wants to act in secret," the suit alleges, supported by four human rights organizations. According to officials, over 50 migrants have been transported to Guantanamo since the initiative began on February 4, 2025, and there are plans to increase the prison population potentially to 30,000.

Activists fear that without judicial intervention, more migrants could be placed in this "legal black box," hindering their access to legal counsel and due process. A recent temporary order from a New Mexico judge has halted further transfers of some detainees as they challenge their confinement.

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