The administration of Donald Trump is expected to begin transferring thousands of migrants who are unlawfully residing in the United States to the US military base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba this week. According to The Washington Post, citing informed officials, those slated for relocation include citizens from various countries, including Ukraine.

Among those who may be transferred are nationals of the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Germany, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Poland, Turkey, and Ukraine, as well as individuals from other parts of the world, including Haiti.

Sources told the publication that the Trump administration is unlikely to inform foreign governments about the relocation of their citizens to the military facility.

Before the potential transfer to Guantanamo, US authorities plan to conduct health screenings for approximately 9,000 migrants to determine whether they are eligible to be housed at the base.

The report notes that it remains unclear whether the facilities at Guantanamo can accommodate such a large number of detainees, a significant increase from the few hundred migrants who passed through the base earlier this year.

According to officials, the decision to move migrants is driven by severe overcrowding at US immigration detention centers.

Documents obtained by the publication indicate that the US government intends to hold migrants at the Guantanamo base for as short a time as possible. However, the White House retains the right to extend their detention if necessary.

US officials say the individuals targeted for relocation are those lacking legal grounds to remain in the country. While some governments have expressed willingness to repatriate their citizens, the Department of Homeland Security reportedly believes those efforts have been too slow.