Key Takeaways
• ICE began recruiting clergy for Guantánamo chaplain roles, contracts up to four years paying $28-$32 per hour.
• Chaplains provide counseling, religious education, and distribute up to 200 faith materials monthly, mostly in French and Arabic.
• Applicants must have ministry experience, fluency in English and Spanish, and pass background checks for this sensitive post.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has started a new search for clergy members willing to serve as chaplains at the Guantánamo Bay detention facility. This move, announced on July 10, 2025, comes as part of a larger expansion at the Guantánamo Migrant Operations Center (GMOC) in response to rising numbers of migrants and changes in offshore detention policies. ICE’s call for chaplains highlights both the practical needs of detainees and the ongoing debates about the use of Guantánamo Bay for immigration detention.
ICE Seeks Clergy for Guantánamo Bay
ICE is now actively recruiting clergy members to provide religious services and counseling at Guantánamo Bay. The agency issued a formal request for proposals, asking qualified clergy to relocate to the facility in Cuba. The chaplain position is a contractor role, offering a pay rate between $28 and $32 per hour. The contract can last up to four years, potentially running through August 25, 2030. Proposals for the job were due by the end of Thursday, July 10, 2025.
This recruitment is not limited to Guantánamo Bay. ICE is also looking for chaplains to serve at other detention centers in Batavia (New York), Miami (Florida), Los Fresnos (Texas), El Paso (Texas), and Florence (Arizona). However, the focus on Guantánamo Bay stands out due to the facility’s unique location, history, and the challenges of providing services in such an isolated setting.
What Does the Chaplain Role Involve?
The chaplain’s main job is to support the spiritual and emotional needs of detained migrants. This includes:
- Counseling: Offering support to detainees who ask for spiritual, personal, or grief counseling.
- Religious Education: Planning and leading weekly religious education classes for those interested.
- Faith Conversion Support: Giving information and contacts to detainees who want to convert to a different faith, but never pressuring anyone to change.
- Religious Materials Distribution: Handing out up to 200 religious items each month, such as pocket Bibles, Qurans, rosaries, prayer beads, seder plates, kufis, prayer rugs, and religious images. Most of these materials are needed in French and Arabic, reflecting the languages spoken by many detainees.
Because of tight budgets, chaplains are encouraged to seek donations of religious materials from religious groups and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). However, ICE must approve all items before they are given to detainees, ensuring that nothing is distributed without official review.
Who Can Apply?
To qualify for the chaplain position at Guantánamo Bay, candidates must meet specific requirements:
- Education: A bachelor’s degree in religion, religious studies, theology, or a related field, plus at least five years of ministry experience. If a candidate does not have a degree, at least ten years of ministry experience is required.
- Language Skills: Fluency in both English and Spanish is mandatory, as these are the main languages used at the facility.
- Experience: Applicants must show they have worked in ministry and can handle the unique challenges of serving in a detention setting.
Interested clergy must submit a proposal through ICE’s contracting system. The process includes background checks and security clearances, especially important for work at a sensitive location like Guantánamo Bay. For more details or to apply, candidates can visit the official ICE website or contact the Miami Field Office at (954) 236-4900.
Why Is ICE Expanding Religious Services at Guantánamo Bay?
The push to hire clergy members for Guantánamo Bay comes as the GMOC faces growing numbers of migrants and new policy directions. The GMOC can hold about 130 people, separate from the larger facility used for War on Terror detainees, which has a capacity of 684. In February 2025, the first group of 12 detainees arrived at the GMOC after being transferred from Fort Bliss, Texas. This marked the start of a new phase in offshore detention.
To prepare for more arrivals, 310 additional service members were sent to Guantánamo Bay to help build new tents and expand the center’s infrastructure. These changes are costly and complex. For example, the first transfer flight in 2025 cost $142,500 just to move 12 detainees. The isolation of Guantánamo Bay means that all supplies and staff must be brought in from outside, driving up expenses.
Policy and Political Context
The Biden administration and Congress have faced tough questions about the high costs and practical challenges of expanding offshore detention at Guantánamo Bay. Critics point out that scaling up the facility to hold as many as 30,000 migrants would take months and require huge investments. There are also concerns about the legal and humanitarian impacts of keeping migrants in such a remote location.
Advocacy groups and policy analysts have raised alarms about the use of Guantánamo Bay for immigration detention. They argue that offshore detention can make it harder for detainees to access legal help, stay in touch with family, and receive proper care. At the same time, ICE and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) say that expanding religious services is part of their effort to meet international standards for detainee treatment.
How Do Chaplains Help Detainees?
Chaplains play a key role in supporting the well-being of people held at Guantánamo Bay. Many detainees face long periods of uncertainty, separation from family, and stress about their future. Religious counseling and access to faith-based materials can provide comfort and hope during difficult times.
The chaplain’s work goes beyond leading prayers or religious classes. They also help detainees deal with grief, loss, and personal struggles. For example, if a detainee learns that a family member has died, the chaplain can offer support and help them process their emotions. By providing a listening ear and spiritual guidance, chaplains help maintain a sense of dignity and humanity in a challenging environment.
Challenges for Chaplains at Guantánamo Bay
Serving as a chaplain at Guantánamo Bay is not an easy job. The facility’s remote location means that staff must live and work far from home, often for long periods. The cultural and language needs of detainees are complex, with many coming from French- and Arabic-speaking countries. Chaplains must be sensitive to different faith traditions and able to communicate across language barriers.
Budget limits also affect the chaplain’s work. While ICE encourages donations of religious materials, all items must be approved before distribution. This can slow down the process and limit what is available to detainees. Chaplains must balance the needs of detainees with the rules set by ICE and the realities of working in a secure, controlled environment.
Stakeholders and Oversight
Several groups are involved in the operation of Guantánamo Bay’s migrant center:
- ICE leads the recruitment and management of chaplains and oversees detainee services.
- DHS and the Department of Defense (DOD) provide logistical and operational support, including security and infrastructure.
- Religious organizations and NGOs are asked to donate religious materials, but ICE has the final say on what is allowed.
- Advocacy groups and policy experts continue to monitor and critique the use of offshore detention, raising concerns about costs, legal rights, and humanitarian standards.
As reported by VisaVerge.com, these overlapping responsibilities can create confusion and delays, especially when it comes to providing timely support to detainees.
Practical Implications for Detainees and Families
For migrants held at Guantánamo Bay, access to religious counseling and materials can make a real difference. Many detainees are far from home, facing an uncertain future. The presence of chaplains helps meet their spiritual needs and supports their mental health.
However, the process is tightly controlled. Detainees can request counseling or religious items, but everything must go through official channels. Language barriers and limited resources can make it harder for some detainees to get the support they need. Families on the outside may worry about their loved ones’ well-being, knowing that contact is limited and the facility is far from the U.S. mainland.
Application Process for Clergy Members
Clergy interested in serving at Guantánamo Bay must follow a formal application process:
- Review the Solicitation: ICE posts job solicitations on its official website, outlining the duties, pay, and requirements.
- Prepare a Proposal: Applicants must show they meet the education and experience requirements, including proof of language skills.
- Submit Through ICE’s Contracting System: Proposals are submitted online, and candidates undergo background checks and security screening.
- Await Selection: ICE reviews applications and selects candidates based on qualifications and facility needs.
For more information, clergy can visit the ICE Detention Facilities page or call the Miami Field Office at (954) 236-4900.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Religious Services at Guantánamo Bay
The contract for chaplain services at Guantánamo Bay may last until 2030, showing a long-term commitment to providing religious support for detainees. However, the future of offshore detention remains uncertain. Congress and advocacy groups continue to debate the costs, legality, and humanitarian impact of keeping migrants at Guantánamo Bay.
If the facility expands to hold more people, the need for chaplains and other support staff will grow. At the same time, ICE and its partners will need to address ongoing concerns about detainee rights, access to legal help, and the challenges of operating in such a remote location.
Solution-Oriented Approaches
While the use of Guantánamo Bay for immigration detention is controversial, expanding religious services is one way to improve conditions for detainees. By hiring qualified clergy members, ICE aims to provide spiritual care and emotional support, helping detainees cope with the stress of detention.
To make these services more effective, ICE could:
- Increase Language Support: Hire chaplains who speak French, Arabic, and other languages common among detainees.
- Streamline Donations: Work with religious groups to speed up the approval and distribution of religious materials.
- Enhance Communication: Make it easier for detainees to contact family and legal representatives, reducing feelings of isolation.
These steps could help address some of the concerns raised by advocacy groups and improve the overall well-being of people held at Guantánamo Bay.
Key Takeaways for Readers
- ICE is recruiting clergy members to serve as chaplains at Guantánamo Bay, with contracts lasting up to four years and pay between $28 and $32 per hour.
- Chaplains provide counseling, religious education, and distribute faith-based materials to detainees, mainly in French and Arabic.
- Applicants must have ministry experience and be fluent in English and Spanish. The application process includes background checks and security clearances.
- The expansion of religious services is part of a broader effort to meet international standards for detainee treatment, but critics remain concerned about the use of offshore detention.
- For more information or to apply, visit the ICE official website or contact the Miami Field Office at (954) 236-4900.
As the debate over offshore detention continues, the role of clergy members at Guantánamo Bay will remain important for the well-being of detainees and the credibility of U.S. immigration policy.
Learn Today
ICE → U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; agency managing immigration enforcement and detention operations.
Guantánamo Bay → A U.S. naval base in Cuba, used for migrant and terrorist detainee facilities.
Chaplain → A religious official who provides spiritual support and counseling in detention centers.
Offshore Detention → The practice of holding migrants in remote facilities outside mainland U.S. territory.
Contractor Role → A temporary job position hired through a formal contract, not permanent government employment.
This Article in a Nutshell
ICE is hiring chaplains for Guantánamo Bay to support detainees spiritually amid expanding migrant arrivals, with contracts lasting through 2030 and pay between $28 and $32 per hour.
— By VisaVerge.com
