Military officials are reviewing plans that would cut the number of U.S. troops deployed to the Guantánamo Bay naval base in Cuba to handle detained migrants by as much as half, because there are no detainees there now and the program has stumbled during legal challenges, The Associated Press has learned.
U.S. officials said the military's Southern Command was asked to give Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth a plan that would outline how many troops are actually needed and what additional space may be required if more detainees are sent there.
That plan, said officials, is expected to recommend that a number of the troops be sent home — and one official said the decision could chop the 900 troops there now in half.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the decisions are not yet finalized. Southern Command is preparing options that would address the fact that there have been no migrants transferred to the base since early March, but the administration has warned that future “high-threat” detainees may be sent to the base.
U.S. authorities have transferred at least 290 detainees to Guantánamo since February. But on March 11, the 40 people still housed there were flown off the base to Louisiana.
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