Today, Explained: Episode Summary – "Guantanamo’s Other History"

Released Date: February 10, 2025
Hosts: Sean Rameswaram and Noel King
Network: Vox Media Podcast Network

Introduction

In the February 10, 2025 episode of Today, Explained, Vox delves into the controversial and historically significant use of Guantanamo Bay as a detention center for migrants under the Trump administration. Hosts Noel King and Nick Miroff explore the administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement policies, the implementation of sending migrants to Guantanamo Bay, and the historical precedents that shape this current event.

Trump Administration’s Immigration Enforcement Policy

Aggressive Enforcement Tactics

Noel King opens the discussion by highlighting President Trump's vow to deport 30,000 migrants to Guantanamo Bay, a plan now in motion. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem is quoted on CNN, stating, “[00:02] … these individuals are the worst of the worst that we pulled off of our streets.”

Nick Miroff provides context on the nature of these detainees. “[00:19] … murderers? Rapists? … child pedophiles, those that were out there trafficking children, trafficking drugs, and were pulled off of our streets.” However, he notes the challenge in verifying these claims due to the government’s secrecy around the identities and charges of the detainees.

Current State of Enforcement

At [02:17], King questions Miroff on the current state of Trump’s immigration policy, to which Miroff responds, “[02:26] Well, I'd say the state of it is very aggressive.” He elaborates on the intensified efforts compared to Trump's first term, emphasizing a broader federal crackdown involving multiple agencies beyond ICE.

Miroff details the operational capacity of ICE, noting at [04:57] that ICE is funded to detain about 40,000 people, primarily in privately run jails and county facilities. Despite the Trump administration’s push, ICE has not received significant increases in funding, personnel, or detention capacity, leading to reliance on expanding existing facilities and exploring options like military bases and repurposing soft-sided border facilities.

Deployment to Guantanamo Bay

Implementation of the Policy

At [07:02], Miroff reveals that approximately 30 detainees have been sent to Guantanamo Bay, primarily Venezuelan suspected gang members. This deployment includes construction efforts to expand the holding capacity, signaling a potential increase towards the pledged 30,000 migrants.

King probes into the legal and operational specifics, asking whether detainees are to be held indefinitely or deported swiftly. Miroff clarifies that Guantanamo Bay serves as a staging area rather than a punitive facility, intended to hold migrants until deportation can be arranged. However, he expresses concerns about the lack of accompanying infrastructure such as legal aid, which could hinder the deportation process ([09:09]).

Symbolism and Intimidation

The use of Guantanamo Bay, a site infamous for its role in post-9/11 detention, serves a dual purpose. Miroff explains at [10:16], “This is the Trump administration's attempt to scare people and to potentially make the decision to leave the country. It’s a sign of the president's toughness and commitment to his supporters.” The symbolic gesture reinforces the administration's hardline stance on immigration, equating migrants with an invading force and leveraging the notorious reputation of Guantanamo to instill fear and assert control.

Historical Context of Guantanamo Bay as a Migrant Detention Site

Origins in the 1970s

The episode transitions into a historical analysis with Jeffrey Kahn, an anthropology professor at UC Davis, who recounts the origins of Guantanamo Bay’s role in migrant detention. At [16:01], Kahn explains that in the 1970s, Haitian asylum seekers fleeing dictator Jean Claude Duvalier were inadvertently sent to Guantanamo Bay. Unlike their compatriots in South Florida who gained legal assistance, those at Guantanamo faced indefinite detention without adequate legal support.

Expansion During the 1990s

Kahn continues, detailing the Mariel Boatlift of 1980 and subsequent influxes in the early 1990s, where both Haitian and Cuban migrants were detained en masse. “[24:26] ... so you had this period in 1994 and 1995 where you had tens of thousands of Haitians and tens of thousands of Cubans at Guantanamo at the same time.” The facility became a makeshift tent city, symbolizing the United States' attempts to manage overwhelming migration flows without expanding domestic detention infrastructure.

Humanitarian Concerns

Kahn highlights the traumatic experiences of migrants held in these camps, including poor living conditions, lack of legal counsel, and prolonged uncertainty about their futures. “[20:29] … they really felt that they’re out in the middle of nowhere, they’re isolated, they’re told that they may have to stay here forever.” The historical misuse of Guantanamo Bay underscores recurring patterns of marginalization and inadequate treatment of migrant populations.

Comparative Analysis and Current Implications

First-Time Use for Migrants

Jeffrey Kahn emphasizes that the current use of Guantanamo Bay for migrants is unprecedented. “[26:01] No immigrants have ever been sent to Guantanamo from the United States. This is the first time that has ever happened.” Unlike past instances where detainees were primarily asylum seekers from specific regions, the Trump administration’s policy represents a novel and controversial application of the facility’s purpose.

Political Theater and Public Perception

Kahn argues that the decision to use Guantanamo Bay serves as political theater, reinforcing the administration's narrative of an immigration crisis akin to an invasion. “[26:01] … the Trump administration has been hammering this idea that the crisis at the border is an invasion … the use of Guantanamo in this way is intended to cement the public imagination, this equation between immigrants and an invading army of criminal aliens.” This tactic aims to legitimize aggressive deportation measures and galvanize the administration’s support base by portraying a tough stance on immigration.

Conclusion

The episode concludes by reiterating the significance of the Trump administration’s decision to utilize Guantanamo Bay for migrant detention. Both Nick Miroff and Jeffrey Kahn underscore the symbolic power of this move, its historical echoes, and the potential humanitarian and legal ramifications. The use of such a notorious detention site not only addresses immediate detention capacity issues but also sends a broader message about the administration’s approach to immigration enforcement.

Notable Quotes

• Kristi Noem on CNN ([00:02]): “… these individuals are the worst of the worst that we pulled off of our streets.”
• Nick Miroff ([00:19]): “… murderers? Rapists? … child pedophiles, those that were out there trafficking children, trafficking drugs, and were pulled off of our streets.”
• Nick Miroff ([10:16]): “This is the Trump administration's attempt to scare people and to potentially make the decision to leave the country. It’s a sign of the president's toughness and commitment to his supporters.”
• Jeffrey Kahn ([26:01]): “No immigrants have ever been sent to Guantanamo from the United States. This is the first time that has ever happened.”

Produced by Victoria Chamberlain, edited by Amina El Saadi, with fact-checking by Laura Bullard and Amanda Llewellyn. Engineering by Andrea Christensdottir and Patrick Boyd.