A federal court temporarily blocked the Trump administration's move to transfer three Venezuelan migrants held in New Mexico to the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. The administration intends to use the facility as part of its strategy to remove individuals deemed to be in the country illegally. Legal representatives for the three individuals filed a lawsuit, arguing that their clients fit the profile of those targeted for detention at Guantanamo, namely Venezuelan men detained in the El Paso region with alleged (but reportedly false) ties to the Tren de Aragua gang. The lawyers successfully sought a temporary restraining order, citing concerns about due process and access to legal counsel.

This legal action comes amidst reports that the administration has already begun transferring detained migrants to Guantanamo. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed these transfers last week. However, the practice has drawn sharp criticism from human rights organizations, who argue against using Guantanamo, a site with a controversial history, as a holding place for migrants. They've raised concerns about potential human rights violations and lack of access to legal resources.

The migrants sent to Guantanamo are reportedly being held separately from the existing detainees, which include individuals connected to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. President Trump has previously stated his intention to expand the detention center's capacity to accommodate a significantly larger number of individuals deemed to be "criminal illegal aliens." According to Press Secretary Leavitt, over 8,000 individuals have been arrested since January 20th under the current administration's immigration enforcement efforts, though it's noted that a portion of those arrested have since been released.