South Florida officials react to Trump's plans to send undocumented immigrants to Guantanamo Bay
MIAMI - President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that his administration plans to send thousands of undocumented immigrants to detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, a move that has drawn sharp reactions from South Florida officials and immigration advocates.
Speaking at a signing ceremony for the Laken Riley Act, Mr. Trump called the detainees the "worst criminals" and said Guantanamo had "30,000 beds" available to hold them.
What is the Laken Riley Act
The Laken Riley Act was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in response to the killing of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student at Augusta University, who was murdered while jogging on the University of Georgia campus in February 2024.
The suspect in her murder was a Venezuelan migrant who had entered the U.S. illegally and had a prior arrest but was released due to local policies that did not involve federal immigration authorities.
The Laken Riley Act, the first bill Mr. Trump has signed into law since taking office last week, expands deportation powers for immigrants accused of crimes.
Mr. Trump later issued a presidential memorandum outlining his administration's approach to using Guantanamo for immigrant detention.
Federal immigration officials said recent nationwide enforcement efforts have already led to more than 5,500 arrests, including many in South Florida.
South Florida reactions to the Laken Riley Act
Local leaders and advocates quickly responded to Mr. Trump's latest immigration policies.
South Florida U.S Rep. Frederica Wilson, a Democrat, criticized the Trump administration's aggressive stance.
"There is so much chaos and I think he's using scare tactics to make people uncertain, so he can feel in charge," Wilson said Wednesday.
Vanessa Joseph, an immigration attorney for Catholic Legal Services, urged individuals facing deportation to seek proper legal counsel.
"I think this is a time for people to make preparations and be calm," Joseph said. "And be careful of using the internet for legal help."
Meanwhile, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, appeared to support Trump's Guantanamo plan, posting on his X account:
"Happy to send flights from Florida with deportees in tow," DeSantis wrote.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have not yet provided details on how the administration's plan will be implemented.
