Kristi Noem says Guantanamo Bay migrant detention is legalpublished at 14:27 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is speaking on CNN this morning about the Trump administration's efforts to crack down on illegal immigration, including using the Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp to house migrants who they say have criminal ties.
Pressed on whether it's legal to bring migrants on US soil to the Cuban detention camp, Noem defends the Trump administration's move. The US has leased the land from Cuba for years, previously holding terrorism suspects there.
"We are standing up the operations, believing we have all legal right and authority to do so," Noem says on CNN.
Noem says the plans are only to hold migrants there temporarily, saying they are sending people back to their home countries from there.
As Trump has ramped up efforts to deport migrants, reports have emerged that detention centres are at capacity. But Noem denies this, saying they are "continuously busing people back to Mexico" and flying them back to other home countries to make room.
"We're going after those that have been the violent criminals perpetuating crime in our community," she says.
