U.S. Plans to Deport 9,000 Immigrants, Including Hundreds of Europeans, to Guantanamo
The move, citing “criminals” and a message against illegal entry, sparks diplomatic tensions as allied governments, including Italy, were not informed.
by Anne Martin 11 June 2025
The United States is preparing to deport approximately 9,000 immigrants to the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in the coming hours. Among those slated for transfer are hundreds of citizens from countries allied with the U.S., including Italy, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Poland, Turkey, and Ukraine. The group also includes one Austrian, 100 Romanians, and 170 Russians, totaling around 800 Europeans. This information comes from the Washington Post, which cited documents provided by government officials.
According to the newspaper, the U.S. administration did not inform foreign governments of this decision, even those with whom it maintains the closest relationships, such as Italy, Great Britain, and France. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce confirmed that Guantanamo would not be the final destination for the European deportees.
This decision marks a diplomatic rupture that could lead to further strain in international relations. News of the impending deportation of 9,000 individuals, initially reported by Politico, gained new details as hours passed, unsettling European diplomatic offices. Some reportedly attempted, without success, to persuade the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to abandon the plan. An American State Department representative indicated that the message behind the action was to “shock people” and to send a global warning: illegal entry into the United States would not be tolerated.
This policy comes on the same day that Donald Trump, in a speech at Fort Bragg, one of the largest American military bases in North Carolina, delivered a message directly to Europe. The former president referred to an “foreign invasion” and urged Europe to “do something about uncontrolled immigration before it’s too late.” It remains unclear whether the deportees entered the U.S. illegally or if their visas had simply expired, though the State Department has broadly characterized them as “criminals,” reiterating that Guantanamo is not their ultimate destination.
The transfer plan was reportedly conceived to alleviate overcrowding in immigration detention centers. The significant presence of European citizens among the deportees, coupled with the lack of communication with their respective governments, dramatically escalates already tense relationships, extending beyond previous disputes over tariffs. Trump has frequently accused Europe of having “treated the United States badly” and being “unfair” to America, and this action appears to underscore his stance that the U.S. will not differentiate between European and other foreign nationals regarding illegal immigration.
When questioned by a journalist about the potential impact of this decision on relations with Europe, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce declined to discuss specific countries. She stated that matters concerning illegal immigrants, particularly those with criminal records who might be sent to Guantanamo, fall within a diplomatic framework. Bruce refrained from speculating on potential negative reactions or impacts on the State Department, asserting that there would be negative reactions among Americans if the government were not fulfilling its duties. She clarified that transferring illegal immigrants with criminal records to Guantanamo is not unprecedented and that it serves as an intermediary stop before their eventual repatriation to their countries of origin.
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