U.S. Senator Gary Peters has criticized President Donald Trump’s use of the Guantanamo Bay naval base to detain migrants, highlighting the staggering cost of $100,000 per detainee per day. During a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on Tuesday, Peters described the expenditure as a prime example of wasteful government spending.
As the top Democrat on the committee, Peters questioned Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem about why detainees are being held at Guantanamo Bay at such a high cost, especially compared to the $165 daily cost in U.S. immigration detention facilities. He also raised concerns about the practice of shuttling detainees back to the United States at taxpayers’ expense.
“We’re spending $100,000 a day to keep someone at Guantanamo,” Peters said. “We keep them there awhile, then we fly them back to the United States, or we could keep them here for $165 a day. I think that’s kind of outrageous.”
The White House has requested a significant increase in funding for immigration enforcement, seeking an additional $44 billion for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the fiscal year 2026 budget, which begins on October 1. This move aims to advance President Trump’s goal of mass deportations.
Secretary Noem, when asked about the daily cost to house migrants at Guantanamo Bay, said she did not have that information. A DHS spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, stated, “President Trump is committed to keeping Americans safe.”
A U.S. official, speaking anonymously, indicated that approximately 70 migrants are currently detained at the Guantanamo Bay facility.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a lawsuit to prevent 10 migrants from being transferred to the base. The lawsuit alleges that migrants at Guantanamo have been held in windowless rooms for at least 23 hours per day, subjected to invasive strip searches, and have been unable to contact family members. The ACLU also reported that some detainees had attempted suicide.
Senator Rand Paul, the Republican chairman of the committee, also expressed concerns about spending on additional barriers at the U.S.-Mexico border. He noted that the number of migrants caught crossing illegally has dropped since President Trump took office. A proposed U.S. House of Representatives budget plan would allocate $46.5 billion solely for the border wall.
“I’m not saying no new money is needed,” Paul said. “I think you need more Border Patrol, and you’re going to need more money for that, but I think it should be within reason.”
