In brief
Guantánamo Bay, once a detention center for hundreds, now houses merely 15 inmates, highlighting the challenges of closure and ongoing controversies surrounding the site.
As Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, marks nearly 24 years since its establishment, the number of detainees has significantly dwindled from hundreds to just 15. Initially opened in 2002 during President George W. Bush's tenure to hold individuals captured in the war on terrorism, the facility has become a controversial symbol of U.S. military detention policies. Attempts to shut it down have been made by successive presidents, but obstacles persist, particularly a congressional ban on transferring prisoners to the U.S.The 15 remaining detainees range in age from 45 to 63 and hail from various countries, including Afghanistan, Iraq, and Yemen. The majority were transferred to Guantánamo from secret CIA prisons where they were deemed "the worst of the worst." Among them are five defendants implicated in the September 11 attacks, including Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, whose case has never been brought to trial. The prolonged nature of these capital cases raises questions about justice, accountability, and the future of military detention in America.The operational costs of maintaining Guantánamo remain steep, as the military continues to manage the facility despite the diminishing number of detainees. As the Biden administration navigates its position on Guantánamo, it faces the reality that significant legislative change would be required for any nationwide closure to occur, leading some to speculate that the prison's costly legacy may continue until the last detainee has died.
