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In a move that has reignited outrage, the president, Donald Trump, signed an executive order to expand the Migrant Operations Center at Guantánamo Bay, aiming to detain up to 30,000 immigrants labeled as “high-priority criminal aliens”. For many, including myself, this decision is a painful reminder of the facility’s dark history – a history marked by torture, indefinite detention and systemic dehumanization.
Guantánamo Bay, a name synonymous with human rights abuses, was first repurposed in 2002 under then president George W Bush and defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld as a detention center for individuals branded as “the worst of the worst”. I was among those detainees – abducted, shackled and transported like cargo, blindfolded and unaware of my fate. The memories of roaring military planes, soldiers barking orders and the growls of attack dogs still haunt me.
The US government justified our detention by painting us as dangerous terrorists, a narrative that allowed for indefinite imprisonment without charge or trial. Now, more than two decades later, a similar narrative is being constructed. Trump’s rhetoric of labeling undocumented immigrants as “the worst criminal illegal aliens”, is a deliberate and dehumanizing tactic that opens the door to further abuses under the guise of national security.
This decision is not just a policy shift; it’s a moral failure. Having endured nearly 15 years in Guantánamo without due process, subjected to torture and inhumane conditions, I can attest to the facility’s capacity for cruelty. I shared those cages with innocent men and even children, all victims of a system designed to strip away their humanity.
Guantánamo Bay remains one of the world’s most secretive and expensive prisons. Its remote location and stringent security measures ensure that the atrocities committed within its walls remain hidden from public scrutiny. By choosing to detain immigrants there, the US government is sending a clear message: it prioritizes deterrence over dignity, and punishment over compassion.
This move is the culmination of years of rhetoric. During his 2016 campaign, Trump vowed to keep Guantánamo open. In 2019, he floated the idea of classifying immigrants as enemy combatants and sending them there. The new executive order makes those threats a reality. But at what cost? How many innocent people will be subjected to indefinite detention, stripped of their rights and isolated from the world? How many families will be torn apart and forced to endure conditions that defy basic human decency?
Guantánamo has long served as a symbol of injustice and the abuse of power. It has been a testing ground for torture and indefinite detention, a place where the rule of law is dead and justice is denied. The decision to repurpose it for migrant detention is a stark reminder of the US government’s willingness to sidestep international norms in favor of political expediency.
The choice of Guantánamo is no accident. It’s a calculated move meant to instill fear, distract political opponents, and satisfy a base that thrives on exclusionary policies. By selecting a location synonymous with torture and human rights violations, the administration is doubling down on its commitment to cruelty over compassion.
For years, even during my detention, I have fought for justice, the closure of Guantánamo and accountability for its abuses. Today, I call on the international community, human rights organizations and individuals of conscience to join this fight. We must demand the closure of Guantánamo and resist any attempts to use it as a tool of oppression.
The world cannot afford to look away. We must stand together to uphold the principles of human rights and dignity. The legacy of Guantánamo is one of suffering and injustice, and we cannot allow history to repeat itself.
In the words of the late Nelson Mandela: “To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity.” Let us not deny the humanity of those seeking refuge and a better life. Let us choose justice over cruelty and compassion over indifference.
Together, we can ensure that Guantánamo becomes a relic of the past, not a blueprint for the future.
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Mansoor Adayfi is the author of Don’t Forget Us Here
