The Department of Homeland Security is preparing to use military bases in New Jersey and Indiana to detain immigrants who entered the country illegally, as well as to increase the number of immigrants detained at the U.S. Naval Base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, according to correspondence between DHS and the Pentagon obtained by NPR.

The Trump administration now plans to use Guard troops for law enforcement activities, including “night operations and rural interdiction,” as well as “guard duty and riot control” inside immigrant detention facilities.

ICE is also seeking to detain more immigrants without legal status at Guantánamo Bay prior to their final removal from the United States.

“DoD approves this support through September 30, 2025, subject to ICE maintaining a 24/7 oversight presence at each site to maintain custody and provide overall supervision of each site,” stated the letter from Executive Secretary Anthony Fuscellaro to DHS acting Executive Secretary Andrew Whitaker. ICE staff and contractors will be responsible for all care and handling of the migrants, including meals, medical screening, transportation and medical services, according to the correspondence obtained by NPR.