US looks to reopen migrant detention camp at Guantánamo Bay to tackle surge in asylum seekers

In wake of surge in migrants and asylum seekers on the southern border, the Biden administration is looking to reopen a migrant detention camp at Guantánamo Bay.  

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) bureau is preparing to invite tenders for private contractors to run the Migrant Operations Center on the US naval base.

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It is close to the prison compounds, which encompasses the remaining 39 detainees held in the “war on terror”.  

With the aim to hold Cuban asylum seekers, the centre was first set up in 1991. It was closed by the Obama administration in 2017. At the time of the closure, it was used to house around 34,000 each of Haitians and Cubans.

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The department also wants the contractor to provide unarmed custody and security officers.  

The advertisement states, “At least 10% of the augmented personnel must be fluent in Spanish and Haitian Creole.”

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On September 17, the advertisement was placed on the Sam.gov government contracting website. It has a deadline of October 1 for offers.  

The advertisement reads, “The facility has a capacity of 120 people and will have an estimated daily population of 20 people, however, the service provider shall be responsible to maintain on site the necessary equipment to erect temporary housing facilities for populations that exceed 120 and up to 400 migrants in a surge event.”  

(With inputs from agencies)