1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

I am writing to express my concerns about the Trump administration’s decision to detain migrants at Guantánamo Bay Naval Station and then fly them back to the United States at what appears to be significant taxpayer expense. Reports indicate that nearly 300 migrants were sent to Guantánamo since this operation began, with at least 17 military flights used to transport them, followed by additional flights on ICE Air to return them to the U.S. Given that ICE Air flights typically cost $7,785 per hour and a round trip to Guantánamo takes approximately 5-6 hours, each flight likely cost $40,000–$50,000 or more. With multiple flights and additional operational costs at Guantánamo, this operation may have cost taxpayers millions of dollars—all for a temporary detention plan that ultimately returned these individuals to the United States. Reports also suggest that significant resources were spent on preparing Guantánamo Bay to handle these migrants, including building new facilities, expanding infrastructure, and adding personnel. This preparation, while necessary for a temporary operation, added significant costs to an already expensive process. It has been reported that Guantánamo Bay’s Migrant Operations Center was reactivated to accommodate detainees, and additional military and immigration personnel were deployed to manage the operation. These actions have placed further financial strain on already limited government resources. At a time when the Trump administration is cutting costs across many essential programs, including healthcare, social services, and public safety, this operation needs to be thoroughly addressed. The use of taxpayer money for such an expensive and politically motivated initiative, which ultimately failed to achieve its intended outcome, raises serious concerns about fiscal responsibility. I would like to know: 1. What was the total cost to taxpayers for detaining and transporting these migrants to and from Guantánamo? 2. What specific costs were incurred to prepare Guantánamo Bay for the migrant detention operation, including any upgrades or new infrastructure? 3. What is the current status of the facility at Guantánamo Bay now that it is empty of detainees? Are there plans to continue its use, or is the facility being maintained at significant cost? 4. What was the justification for this decision, considering the costly and ultimately unnecessary transfers? 5. Who authorized this operation, and will there be any accountability for the apparent misuse of resources? This appears to have been a political stunt at taxpayers’ expense, and I believe the public deserves transparency about the costs and decision-making process. I urge your office to investigate this matter and provide clarity on how this aligns with responsible government spending.