A federal judge on Sunday, February 9th, temporarily blocked the Trump administration from transferring three Venezuelan migrants detained in New Mexico to Guantanamo Bay. The ruling marks the first legal challenge to the administration’s policy of detaining illegal immigrants at the U.S. naval base in Cuba.
Judge Kenneth J. Gonzales of the U.S. District Court for New Mexico granted a temporary restraining order after lawyers for the three men argued they faced an imminent transfer risk. The filing was part of an ongoing lawsuit brought by the Center for Constitutional Rights, the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico, and the Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center.
The men, detained at the Otero County Processing Center, claim they “fit the profile” of migrants the administration has prioritized for detention at Guantanamo—Venezuelan nationals held in the El Paso area who have been falsely accused of connections to the Tren de Aragua gang, according to their legal team.
During a videoconference hearing, Judge Gonzales issued the restraining order, temporarily halting their transfer while the case proceeds. “It’s short-term. This will get revisited and further fleshed out in the weeks to come,” Jessica Vosburgh, an attorney for the migrants, said.
The legal challenge follows President Trump’s January 29th directive ordering the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense to expand migrant detention facilities at Guantanamo. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed last week that multiple flights carrying detainees had landed at the naval base. However, immigration advocates have raised concerns over the secrecy surrounding the transfers and the lack of access to legal representation for those held there.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on Wednesday that immigration enforcement operations have led to the arrest of over 8,000 people since Trump took office on January 20. The administration has pledged to deport millions of illegal immigrants and has intensified enforcement efforts across the country.
The case raises legal questions about whether the government has the authority to detain migrants at Guantanamo who were already on U.S. soil. While previous administrations have used the facility to process migrants intercepted at sea, transferring individuals who were already in U.S. immigration custody to Guantanamo could complicate their legal rights and access to due process.
The restraining order remains in effect while the court reviews the case. The government has not publicly disclosed whether the three migrants were scheduled for transfer, but their attorneys argue the threat of relocation remains.
