Image released by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) showing alleged Tren de Aragua (Aragua Train) gang members being transferred on Tuesday, February 4, to Guantanamo Military Base in Cuba. Photo: X/@DHSgov.
On Wednesday, February 12, the New York Times (NYT) reported that relatives of three migrants imprisoned at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp have filed a lawsuit against the US government. They also released a list of the 53 migrants whom the US Department of Homeland Security has transferred from a Texas immigration detention center to the military base in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, which is an illegal US imperialist occupation.
The US government has not released the names of the migrants but has described them as Venezuelan citizens who are under a final order of expulsion from the US. By not revealing their identities, the government has prevented their relatives from knowing where they are being held and has made the efforts of lawyers who want to challenge their detention more difficult, says the NYT.
US President Donald Trump has promoted harsh anti-migrant rhetoric since his inauguration and increased deportation flights of migrants under dehumanizing conditions, labeling them as criminals. This policy has created friction with several Latin American countries.
Last week, the White House announced the transfer of dangerous criminals allegedly belonging to the “Aragua Train” criminal gang from Venezuela and other countries to the Guantanamo military base.
This week, Venezuelan authorities resumed repatriation flights with migrants from the US under its Vuelta a la Patria program using state-owned Conviasa passenger jets. Conviasa is heavily sanctioned by the US government. After meticulous background checks of the migrants, Venezuelan authorities reported that none of the migrants arriving back in Venezuela belonged to the Aragua Train criminal gang, and just a small fraction of them had criminal records.
Yesterday, the NYT reported that “dozens of Venezuelan migrants sent by the Trump administration to the US military base at Guantánamo Bay in Cuba are being guarded by soldiers rather than civilian immigration officials, according to people familiar with the operation.”
The US newspaper explained that “although the Trump administration has portrayed detainees as legally in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, military and medical guards are doing the work,” evidencing a conflict of competencies within US institutions.
The US newspaper found 50 of the migrants on a list of 53 on the US immigration service’s Online Detainee Locator System, which allows the public to search for people by name.
This is the list:
• Acosta Carreno, Yonniel Daniel
• Alviares Armas, Jhonatan Alejandro
• Azocar-Moreno, Alexandro
• Bastidas Paz, Jhoan
• Bellorin-Cardiel, Javier Alejandro
• Bermudez Gamez, Jose
• Briceno-Rojas, Adrian Jose
• Cardozo Oliveros, Carlos
• Rivera Castle, Luis Alberto
• Ceballos-Jiménez, Kleiber Eduardo
• Chirino Torres, Jonathan
• Chirinos Rodriguez, Edixon Leonel
• Duarte-Marin, Allinzon
• Duran-Arape, Mayfreed
• Hernandez Escalona, Jefferson
• Esteira Medina, Misael Jose
• Gomez Lugo, Tilso Ramon
• Guerrero Mejias, Bryan Sleydher
• Guevara-Varguillas, Sergio Gabriel
• Guilarte, Oswal Yonaiker
• Liendo-Liendo, Endry Jose
• Linda Mazo, Ricardo Jose
• Marquez Sanchez, Jesus David
• Medina Andrade, Jose Gregario
• Mendez Canas, Freddy Javier
• Mendez Ramos, Jesus Enrique
• Fernandez Mountains, Franyer
• Mundaray-Salazar, Argelis Jose
• Orelanna, Deiby Jose
• Oviedo-Hurtado, Brayan Alberto
• Palma-Osorio, Carlos David
• Salazar Walls, Jose Alejandro
• Prado Pirona, Jesus
• Purroy Roldan, Yoiner Jose
• Quintero Quintero, Yohanderson
• Rios Salas, Luis Alberto
• Rivas-Rivas, Lorwis Jose
• Rivero Pinero, Brayan
• Rodriguez Diaz, Kevin
• Rodriguez Fermin, Rafael
• Rojas Pena, Junior
• Sanchez Vasquez, Junior
• Sandovalascanio, Anthony Yosmar
• Santana-Jara, Andres
• Simancas Rodriguez, Jose
• Sulbarán D’Avila, Erick Johan
• Tiberius Pacheco, Julio
• Uvieda Machado, Alexis
• Uzcategui Uzcategui, Diuvar
• Velazquez Penaloza, Julio Jose
• Villasana Villegas, Douglas Jesus
• Wullians Oropeza, Daimer
• Yanes-Gonzalez, Ali Jose
Lawsuit filed
A group of humanitarian organizations representing the families of three Venezuelan migrants sent to the Guantanamo naval base in Cuba have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration.
They claim that these Venezuelan nationals are being held incommunicado, urging that access to information on the conditions of detention and due process for those affected be guaranteed, according to EFE.
The lawsuit, which includes the sister of one of the detainees, was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Center for Constitutional Rights, among other groups, as reported by the organizations on Wednesday.
The complaint mentions Eucaris Carolina Gómez Lugo, who learned of her brother’s arrest after seeing a photograph published by the US government.
“By sending immigrants to a remote island, isolating them from lawyers and family, the government is demonstrating its disregard for the rule of law,” said Lee Gelernt of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project.
They warn that this practice could set a dangerous precedent by allowing the government to isolate people in remote facilities without legal guarantees.
The Guantanamo military base is infamous for the illegal detention of hundreds of individuals accused of terrorism in the “war on terror” campaign launched by Washington after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York in 2001.
(Últimas Noticias) by Carlos Eduardo Sanchez with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SF
