Admiral Holsey visits illegal aliens holding operations center at Guantanamo Bay

NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba – U.S. Navy Adm. Alvin Holsey, commander of U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM), visited Operation Southern Guard at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Feb. 5, to assess ongoing illegal alien holding operations (IAHO).

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Phil Ryan, commander of U.S. Army South (USARSOUTH) and Joint Task Force Southern Guard, welcomed Holsey and provided an operational overview of the facilities and security measures.

During the visit, Holsey toured the holding areas, engaged with service members supporting the mission, and received briefings on current conditions and ongoing efforts to assist the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) IAHO.

More than 600 U.S. military personnel, civilians and DHS personnel are deployed to support the mission, including service members from USSOUTHCOM, USARSOUTH, U.S. Transportation Command, 470th Military Intelligence Brigade, 410th Contracting Support Brigade,

56th Signal Battalion, 512th Geospatial Engineer Detachment, and 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division. Their responsibilities include security, logistics, and operational support for DHS-led initiatives.

“Your hard work and commitment are the backbone of this operation. The challenges you face here are not easy, but your professionalism and dedication reflect the best of our armed forces,” said Holsey. “Thank you for your service and for representing USSOUTHCOM with integrity and excellence."

The visit marks USSOUTHCOM’s commitment to ensuring the effective execution of the mission while maintaining the highest standards of care and operational readiness.