The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit on Wednesday, demanding access to migrants sent to the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The ACLU claims that these migrants are being denied the right to legal representation.
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of the detainees’ families, argues that the detainees themselves are unable to sue because they are being held in isolation and cannot communicate with the outside world. The ACLU is seeking immediate access to these detainees, including phone, video, and in-person visits.
Since President Donald Trump took office in January, his administration has ramped up immigration enforcement, including transferring dozens of migrants to Guantanamo Bay. The base is best known for its high-security prison for suspected foreign terrorists.
This legal action follows a letter sent last week by the ACLU and other civil rights groups to Trump administration officials, demanding that they be allowed to contact the detainees.
“Sending immigrants to Guantanamo without access to lawyers or the outside world is a violation of our country’s laws,” said Lee Gelernt, an ACLU attorney leading the case. “It is now up to the courts to ensure that the rule of law is upheld.”
The lawsuit cites three Venezuelan men who are believed to be detained at Guantanamo Bay. One of the plaintiffs, Angela Carolina Sequera, said she had been in regular contact with her son while he was in a Texas immigration detention center. She spoke to him last on Saturday, but by Sunday, she was told her son had been transferred to Guantanamo.
“Ms. Sequera has made numerous attempts to reach her son, but has not been able to get through,” the lawsuit states. “She is deeply concerned and wants to ensure that her son has access to legal counsel.”
The plaintiffs also include four nonprofit legal groups from Texas and Florida, who are unable to represent the migrants sent to Guantanamo.
The Trump administration has provided few details about the migrants detained at Guantanamo Bay. However, it did confirm that the first group of detainees included alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), said there is a system in place at Guantanamo for migrants to contact their lawyers. She also questioned the ACLU’s concerns, given that many of the detainees are believed to be involved in serious crimes, including murder and gang activity.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who visited the base last Friday, posted on social media that some of the detainees had been charged or convicted of serious crimes such as homicide and robbery.
In January, President Trump ordered the U.S. military and Homeland Security officials to prepare Guantanamo Bay to house up to 30,000 migrants, as part of his broader crackdown on immigration.
The ACLU’s lawsuit points out that, to date, no migrants facing civil immigration charges have ever been moved to Guantanamo Bay. The group argues that holding these detainees without access to attorneys, family, or the outside world is unlawful.
The complaint also notes that, despite public concern, the Trump administration has failed to explain its legal authority for transferring these detainees to Guantanamo Bay.
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