Gitmo ‘Camp’ Planned for Cuban Migrants Amidst Trump Blockade

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Military is preparing to establish a detention camp at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, to hold Cubans attempting to flee a deepening humanitarian crisis exacerbated by a fuel blockade imposed by the Trump administration, a general told Congress on Thursday.

The revelation came during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing where U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Francis Donovan, commander of the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), responded to questioning from Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.). Cotton asked Donovan if the military was prepared for a “humanitarian crisis in Cuba—the possible flow of refugees, other civil disorder that may threaten our interests.”

“Senator, yes we are,” Donovan replied. He stated that SOUTHCOM has an executive order to support the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the event of a mass migration, with DHS taking the lead and the military providing support, including establishing a camp at Guantánamo Bay “to deal with those migrants or any overflow from any situation in Cuba itself.”

The move signals a potential shift in the use of the Guantánamo Bay detention facility, which has been synonymous with the post-9/11 detention and, for many, the torture of suspected terrorists. President Trump signed an executive order last year directing DHS and the Pentagon to expand the “Migrant Operations Center” at Guantánamo Bay to a capacity of over 30,000 beds, initially intended for “high-priority criminal aliens unlawfully present in the United States.”

The planned use of the facility to house Cuban migrants comes as the island nation faces widespread shortages of essential goods and services, including electricity and drinking water, following the Trump administration’s tightening of economic sanctions. A recent island-wide blackout followed the administration’s blockade of fuel shipments, a policy a group of UN rapporteurs said in January constituted “a serious violation of international law and a grave threat to a democratic and equitable international order.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) warned of a “possible mass exodus out of Cuba” and expressed concern about a potential influx of migrants to the Florida Keys. DeSantis suggested the Trump administration might prefer supporting efforts to install a modern government in Cuba, echoing the long-held aspirations of some Cuban exiles.

The current crisis builds on more than 60 years of U.S. Embargoes against Cuba, which have significantly hampered the country’s economic development. The Trump administration further intensified these measures in January by imposing tariffs on countries that continue to supply Cuba with oil. Human Rights Watch Americas director Juanita Goebertus explained that the blockade has resulted in a lack of access to basic necessities like drinking water, compromised hospital operations, and widespread shortages of essential goods.

Trump has openly discussed the possibility of regime change in Cuba, even declaring his intention to potentially “take” the island and asserting his ability to “do anything I want” with the “weakened nation.”

Erik Sperling, executive director of Just Foreign Policy, emphasized that any potential mass migration event is a direct consequence of the U.S. Policies deliberately restricting access to essential resources. “Trump and [Secretary of State Marco] Rubio are to blame for any refugee crisis from Cuba, as the US intentionally harms civilians with an oil blockade,” Just Foreign Policy stated on social media, adding that U.S. Sanctions and intervention in Latin America have historically fueled migration flows.

Immigration journalist Arturo Dominguez characterized Donovan’s statement as an acknowledgement that the military is preparing to “accommodate the flow of refugees by putting them in camps,” adding that the readiness to militarize the response to the crisis was “beyond the pale.”

Public opinion in the United States is largely opposed to the Trump administration’s policies toward Cuba, according to a recent YouGov poll. Only 28% of U.S. Adults approve of blocking oil shipments to Cuba, while 46% disapprove. Just 13% support the use of military force against Cuba, compared to 61% who oppose it. Just Foreign Policy asserted that “The American people do not want their government to starve Cubans and cause a ‘mass migration event.’”

Donovan’s testimony and the preparations at Guantánamo Bay raise questions about the administration’s long-term strategy for addressing the escalating crisis in Cuba and the potential humanitarian consequences of its policies.