Kristi Noem Assures 'Due Process' for Migrants at Guantánamo Bay Detention Facility
Homeland Security Secretary Details Plans for Migrant Detention, Leaves Open Possibility for Women and Children to Be Housed There
WASHINGTON — Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem affirmed on Sunday that "due process will be followed" for all migrants detained at Guantánamo Bay, following President Donald Trump’s announcement that the U.S. government plans to house thousands of migrants at the military facility.
In an interview on NBC News’ Meet the Press, Noem addressed concerns about the Trump administration's decision to use Guantánamo Bay as a detention center for migrants, stating that the move would be an "asset" to the country. She emphasized that migrants housed there would still receive due process, and praised the collaboration with the Department of Defense (DoD) to prepare the facility for this new purpose.
“Due process will be followed, and having facilities at Guantánamo Bay will be an asset to us,” Noem said, adding that the DoD’s support would be critical in ensuring the success of repatriating migrants to their home countries.
Since taking office, the Trump administration has focused heavily on the deportation of undocumented migrants, a central promise from Trump’s campaign. Immigration enforcement has intensified, leading to an increased demand for detention space to process migrants pending deportation.
Traditionally, Guantánamo Bay has been used to house detainees linked to terrorism, especially those accused of involvement in the 9/11 attacks. The U.S. government has historically suspended due process rights for individuals detained there, a policy upheld by a federal appeals court in 2020.
Noem reiterated that the facility would be reserved for the "worst of the worst" migrants — those who have committed serious crimes while in the U.S. illegally. She pointed to recent law enforcement efforts targeting criminals with warrants for murder, rape, drug trafficking, and other offenses.
“Remember that Guantánamo Bay — clearly this president has said that it will hold the worst of the worst, that we are going after those bad actors,” Noem explained, referencing recent raids in New York City aimed at criminal suspects.
Despite her firm stance on housing criminal migrants at Guantánamo Bay, Noem avoided directly answering whether women and children facing deportation might also be held there. When asked about it, Noem responded by emphasizing the focus on criminal aliens, explaining, “The priority of this president is to go after criminal aliens that are making our streets more dangerous.”
She added that once individuals with criminal records are processed, those with final deportation orders would follow as the next priority for detention. However, when asked directly about housing women and children, Noem did not rule it out, stating, "We're going to use the facilities that we have...we have other detention facilities, other places in the country, so we will utilize what we have according to what's appropriate for the individuals."
While the use of Guantánamo Bay as a migrant detention center remains controversial, Noem’s comments underscore the administration’s ongoing effort to combat illegal immigration and prioritize the removal of criminal migrants from the U.S.