Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

Guantanamo Migrant Operations Center

United States

Status

In use

2024

Type: Immigration detention centre (Administrative)

Custodial Authority: Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Management: International Organisation for Migration (International or Regional Organization)

Detains: Asylum seekers (administrative), Families, Adult women, Accompanied minors, Adult men, Undocumented migrants (administrative)

Capacity Conditions complaints? Reported population
130
YES

2024

No Data
United States

273,220

Migration Detainee Entries

28,289

Average Daily Migrant Detainee Population

To country overview

The Guantanamo Migrant Operations Center (GMOC)--not to be confused with the Guantanamo detention camp used to hold terrorist suspects--is an offshore immigration detention facility located in eastern Cuba. Previously managed by the private prison company the Geo Group, as of the 2024 the GMOC was operated by the Department of Homeland Security in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and various private contractors. In January 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he intended to detain up to 30,000 of the "worst criminal aliens" at the GMOC despite having a previous capacity of only 130.

LATEST NEWS & TESTIMONY
2024

Former detainees at GMOC said that "the IOM-managed building where protected refugees await resettlement is a two-story structure separated from the main base. ... Interviewees described signs of deterioration and dilapidation: toilets spewing sewage when someone in another room flushed their toilet, a plumbing problem known in notorious prisons a 'ping-pong toilets';showers overflowing; fungi growing on ceilings; and rats running around in the room. ... Several refugees IRAP interviewed after their incarceration at the GMOC remained dismayed by their mistreatment by IOM and the guards, especially IOM’s insistence that, despite their protected status, they had no rights and could be sent home or return home at any time." (International Refugee Assistance Project, "OFFSHORING HUMAN RIGHTS: Detention of Refugees at Guantánamo Bay," September 2024)

FACILITY NAMES
Guantanamo Migrant Operations Center
Location

Country: United States

City & Region: Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Americas

Latitude, Longitude: 19.902655, -75.100166

Contact Information
Guantanamo Migrant Operations Center
Caimanera, Cuba

MANAGEMENT & BUDGET

Center Status

Status In use

2024

Status In use

2017

Status In use

2012
Facility type

Category Filter Administrative

Type Immigration detention centre

2017
Management

Name International Organisation for Migration

Type International or Regional Organization

2024

Name GEO Group, Inc.

Type Private For-Profit

2012
Custodial Authorities

Agency Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Ministry Department of Homeland Security

Ministry Typology Internal or Public Security

2012
Outsourced services and non-state actors

Provider International Organisation for Migration

Service Management

2024

Provider GEO Group Inc.

Service Management

2012

DETAINEES

Demographics

Name Families

2024

Name Adult women

2024

Name Accompanied minors

2024

Name Adult men

2024

Name Families

2012

Name Accompanied minors

2012

Name Adult women

2012

Name Adult men

2012
Categories of detainees

Name Asylum seekers (administrative)

2024

Name Undocumented migrants (administrative)

2024

Name Undocumented migrants (administrative)

2012
At-Risk Populations

At-Risk Population Accompanied children

2024

At-Risk Population Asylum seekers

2024

SIZE & POPULATION

Capacity (specialised migration-related facility)

Type Standard capacity

Capacity 130

2009

LENGTH OF DETENTION

OUTCOMES

CONDITIONS

Inadequate conditions

State of repair

2024

Showers and toilets

2024

Hygiene

2024

CARCERAL INDICATORS

STAFF

SEGREGATION

CELLS

COMMUNAL SPACE & ACTIVITIES

HEALTH

Inadequate health provisions
Inadequate Health Provisions
Obvs. Date
Psychological careChildren's healthPromotion of personal health and hygiene
2024

MONITORING & ACCESS

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

NEWS & TESTIMONY

2024

Former detainees at GMOC said that "the IOM-managed building where protected refugees await resettlement is a two-story structure separated from the main base. ... Interviewees described signs of deterioration and dilapidation: toilets spewing sewage when someone in another room flushed their toilet, a plumbing problem known in notorious prisons a 'ping-pong toilets';showers overflowing; fungi growing on ceilings; and rats running around in the room. ... Several refugees IRAP interviewed after their incarceration at the GMOC remained dismayed by their mistreatment by IOM and the guards, especially IOM’s insistence that, despite their protected status, they had no rights and could be sent home or return home at any time." (International Refugee Assistance Project, "OFFSHORING HUMAN RIGHTS: Detention of Refugees at Guantánamo Bay," September 2024)