Biden administration weighs using Guantanamo Bay for Haitian migrant influx

Amid escalating turmoil in Haiti, the Biden administration is exploring the possibility of using Guantanamo Bay to process Haitian migrants in the event of a mass exodus to the US, according to a CNN report.

Guantanamo Bay, located approximately 321 kilometres from Haiti, has historically served as a migrant centre to accommodate and process migrants before repatriating them to Haiti or another country.

Discussions to expand capacity at the site shed light on the administration’s growing concerns over the prospect of large-scale migration from Haiti, with gangs wreaking havoc and social order teetering on the edge of collapse.

Navigating migration challenges

Migrants from Haiti have often attempted to take on the perilous journey to Florida by sea, prompting the US to consider intercepting and transporting them to Guantanamo for processing and potential repatriation.

The National Security Council is closely monitoring migration routes, though current irregular migration flows through the Caribbean remain low.

“We are clear-eyed that economic, political, and security instability are key drivers for migrants around the world. We are closely monitoring the situation and the routes frequently used by migrants to reach our borders and at this time, irregular migration flows through the Caribbean remain low,” a National Security Council spokesperson told CNN.

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Haiti has plunged into chaos following attacks on government structures and rampant gang violence, with gangs reportedly controlling 80 per cent of the capital. Tens of thousands have been displaced, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation. Amid the unrest, the US deployed a Marine Fleet-Anti-terrorism Security Team to bolster security at the embassy in Port-au-Prince.

As the Biden administration anticipates a potential mass migration event, contingency plans are being drafted to address resource constraints. Immigration agencies, grappling with funding shortages, are set to release thousands of migrants unless additional funds are secured.

Despite ongoing challenges in securing supplemental funding for border security, efforts to address migration challenges persist amid heightened concerns over Haiti’s escalating crisis.