Three Venezuelan immigrants detained in New Mexico have sought a temporary restraining order from a federal district court to prevent their transfer to Guantánamo Bay. The men, currently held at the Otero County Processing Center, are involved in an ongoing legal case challenging their extended detention. They have expressed concerns about being moved to the island prison, which they view as a violation of human rights.
Abrahan Barrios Morales, one of the petitioners, stated his fear of being transferred: “I fear being taken to Guantánamo because the news is painting it as a black hole... I also see that human rights are constantly violated at Guantánamo, so I fear what could happen to me if I get taken there.”
Jessica Vosburgh from the Center for Constitutional Rights criticized the Trump administration's plan: “The Center for Constitutional Rights has labored for decades to close Guantánamo and secure accountability for human rights abuses perpetrated there against Haitian migrants in the 1990s and hundreds of Muslim men and boys post-9/1. Now, the Trump administration is invoking the specter of Guantánamo... Our clients refuse to be used as pawns in this twisted game of punishment theater.”
Zoe Bowman from Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center highlighted issues with transferring detainees far from legal counsel: “For more than two decades, Guantánamo has been a symbol of human rights abuses and disregard for the rule of law... Transferring people from the Otero County Processing Center... is appalling."
Rebecca Sheff from ACLU New Mexico expressed outrage over these policies: “Transferring immigrants from Otero County to Guantánamo is a blatant attempt to obstruct their legal rights by placing them thousands of miles from their families and attorneys."
Luis Perez Parra, another petitioner, shared his fears about potential mistreatment at Guantánamo: “I fear going to Guantánamo because I’ve seen on the news that it’s a maximum security prison. I’m scared of how I’ll be treated there or that I’ll be tortured..."
The court retains jurisdiction even if transfers occur but such moves historically evade oversight. Petitioners argue that relocation would severely limit access to legal representation.
