Washington, March 4 (NationPress) A recent congressional oversight report reveals that a US government initiative for the detention of migrants at Guantanamo Bay, which includes deportations to 26 nations such as India, has already incurred expenses exceeding $78 million. This mission, known as Operation Southern Guard, is backed by the Pentagon and has significant financial implications.

During the fiscal year 2025, the Department of Defense allocated $60.6 million to this operation, while the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) contributed around $17.8 million to support the detention and deportation activities at the US naval facility in Cuba.

Initiated in early 2025, this undertaking aims to bolster immigration enforcement at the southern US border and enhance migrant detention capabilities outside the continental United States.

The report indicates that since the operation's inception, 708 undocumented migrants have been transferred to Guantanamo Bay, with 691 subsequently relocated to detention centers in the US or repatriated to various countries.

The average duration of stay at the facility was reported to be 14 days.

Air transport has played a pivotal role in the initiative, with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) executing 28 charter flights to Guantanamo Bay and 54 flights departing the base for deportation and transfer purposes.

Migrants detained at the facility have been deported to 26 countries across multiple continents, including India, Egypt, England, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Romania, Sierra Leone, and Vietnam.

Countries in Central and South America receiving deportees include Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Peru, and Venezuela.

The report notes that ICE transported 481 migrants to Guantanamo Bay from US states including Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas, while 670 individuals were flown from the base either to international destinations or detention facilities within the US.

Military flights supporting this mission have been expensive, with the US Transportation Command conducting 31 flights between July and December 2025, each costing an average of approximately $708,020.

The operation was initiated following a national emergency declaration by President Donald Trump at the southern border in January 2025, directing federal agencies to enhance enforcement and boost detention capacity.

A presidential memorandum subsequently instructed the Pentagon to fully operationalize the Migrant Operations Center at Guantanamo Bay to accommodate migrants with criminal records awaiting deportation.

Under this arrangement, DHS oversees detainees, while the Pentagon ensures logistical support, including transportation, security, medical care, and infrastructure.

Several immigrant rights organizations have legally contested this program, asserting that migrants transferred from the US should not face detention at Guantanamo Bay after being removed from US jurisdiction.

Historically, Guantanamo Bay has served as a processing center for migrants since the early 1990s, when Haitian and Cuban migrants intercepted at sea were held at the facility. It later gained notoriety as a detention center for terrorism suspects captured post-September 11 attacks.