Trump Plans to Use Military Sites Across the Country to Detain Undocumented Immigrants
New York TimesFEB 19
Trump Admin. Flies 177 Migrants Held in Guantánamo Back to Venezuela
Above: Venezuelan migrants deported from US Naval Station Guantánamo Bay walk down from the Venezuelan Conviasa Airlines plane as they arrive at Simon Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia, Venezuela on Feb. 20, 2025. Image copyright: Pedro Mattey/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Spin
Democratic narrative
It's no wonder that the Trump admin. has transferred Venezuelan migrants held in Guantánamo all of sudden just as human rights advocates filed a lawsuit demanding attorney access for them. Trump first said that they were the "worst of the worst," now his administration has revealed that nearly one-third of them had no criminal record.
Republican narrative
Pro-migrant advocates are desperate for the Trump admin. to expedite the repatriations of these illegal migrants, as they hoped to stall the deportations with legal challenges and further fuel the immigration crisis. There's still a long way to go as Biden welcomed hundreds of thousands of illegal migrants into the country, but these first steps are key to restoring order and boosting the US economy.