Belgium seeks clarity from US over possible deportations to Guantánamo Bay
Belgium's FPS Foreign Affairs has contacted American authorities following reports that US president Donald Trump's administration is planning to deport thousands of foreign nationals, including Belgians, to the US military base in Guantánamo Bay. Foreign minister Maxime Prévot made the announcement on Wednesday.
According to a report by The Washington Post, the Trump administration is preparing to transfer nearly 9,000 undocumented foreigners residing in the US to Guantánamo Bay. This controversial military prison in Cuba is known for its history of human rights violations, including torture.
Among those targeted for deportation are nationals from several European countries, including Belgium, the Washington Post writes. The report also claims that the US has no plans to inform the governments of the affected citizens in advance, with transfers potentially beginning as early as this week.
Lack of information
In response, minister Prévot stated that he is reaching out to the U.S. government to clarify the situation and to ensure the return of any Belgian nationals involved. However, he acknowledged the difficulty of determining how many Belgians could be affected.
Prévot pointed out that the FPS Foreign Affairs does not have information about Belgians staying abroad unless they report their presence to the relevant embassy or online. Even then, it does not have information about their residence status in the host country.
“We have no way of knowing how many Belgians are residing illegally abroad”
“We therefore have no way of knowing how many Belgians are residing illegally abroad,” Prévot said. “We only receive this information if a Belgian is arrested by local authorities who then notify us, or if the individual seeks assistance from a Belgian embassy.”
Since taking office, president Trump has intensified efforts to deport undocumented immigrants to the notorious detention facility. In January, he signed a memorandum to expand the Guantánamo Migrant Operations Center, increasing its capacity to house up to 30,000 people.
Tents holding illegal migrants at Guantánamo Bay. PHOTO © US NAVY / AFP
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