Summary

Sea Signal was an expensive operation. The Joint Staff estimated incremental military costs in fiscal years 1994 and 1995 to be approximately $373 million. A September 1995 GAO estimate of the costs of all agencies associated with the Cuban migration alone was approximately $497 million.

Introduction

     The Clinton administration was faced with an influx of refugees from two primary locations, Haiti and Cuba. Thousands were detained in separate camps at the naval station on the southeastern tip of Cuba, at Guantanamo Bay. Tagged Operation Sea Signal, the migrants made their escape from treachery and upheaval in anything that would float and earned the prestigious title of boat people. They were sequestered at Guantanamo. Below is a review of the interdiction of the migrants out on the Florida Straits, circumstances and displacement of the refugees throughout the navy base into various camps, separated by nationality.

Methodology

     The process includes individual capsules, each containing a.) an “X” social media post by @jameslangeele if applicable, followed by b.) an artificial intelligence query, enclosed in (Begin Perplexity-AI) and (End Perplexity-AI) containing the link to the query, and c.) Notes to clarify, add context, fact check the AI query. Where possible, since AI does not extract information from archived newspapers, these will be added, such as maps, images and decoded optical character recognition (OCR) texts.

Capsules

interdiction

“X” post by @jameslangelle

Guantanamo R&R 02/02/25/1330PST: Interdiction, migrant camp crisis, 1994, $xM, 10K+ boat people sequestered, individual camps, #Cuba, Haiti refugees. Rf. CINC memo #DHS Kristi Noem, #ICE Tom Homan, SecDef Hegseth. (Miami Herald, 01/09/94/20A)

(Begin Perplexity-AI)

coast guard interdiction, boat people, 1994

In 1994, the U.S. Coast Guard conducted its largest operation since the Vietnam War, responding to mass migrations from Haiti and Cuba1. This operation, known as Operation ABLE MANNER (for Haiti) and Operation ABLE VIGIL (for Cuba), resulted in the rescue and interdiction of over 63,000 migrants attempting to illegally enter the United States13.Operation ABLE MANNER began in January 1993, focusing on interdicting Haitian migrants in the Windward Passage between Haiti and Cuba1. The operation involved 17 Coast Guard cutters, nine aircraft, and five U.S. Naval ships1.Operation ABLE VIGIL was launched in response to a surge in Cuban migration that began in August 19941. This exodus was triggered by Fidel Castro’s announcement that Cuba would not prevent people from leaving the island23. The operation involved 29 Coast Guard cutters, six aircraft, and nine U.S. Naval ships patrolling the Straits of Florida1.

Key aspects of the 1994 interdiction efforts:

1. Scale: At its peak, the combined operations involved over 50 ships and numerous aircraft14.
2. Humanitarian crisis: Many migrants attempted the journey on makeshift rafts and boats, often lacking sufficient food and water2. The Coast Guard’s efforts were as much humanitarian as they were law enforcement5.
3. Processing: Interdicted migrants were initially taken to Guantanamo Bay Naval Base for processing23. Over 50,000 refugees were processed as part of Operation Sea Signal2.
4. Policy change: On August 19, 1994, President Clinton announced that interdicted Cubans would no longer be brought to the United States but would be held at Guantanamo Bay6. This marked a significant shift in U.S. policy towards Cuban migrants.
5. Long-term impact: These events led to the implementation of the “Wet Feet, Dry Feet” policy for Cuban migrants and set a precedent for future Coast Guard migrant interdiction operations24.

The 1994 interdiction efforts demonstrated the Coast Guard’s crucial role in managing mass migration events and highlighted the complex humanitarian and political challenges associated with such crises4.

https://www.perplexity.ai/search/coast-guard-interdiction-boat-RsrVhlNwTzK.bN.UWhKGnQ

(End Perplexity-AI)

Notes:

By today’s standards for the transport and housing of undocumented civilians who have entered the United States without proper clearance, the boat people phenomenon was a scale clearly difficult to comprehend, even with similar efforts today. Those include Libyan asylum seekers, only they have to cross the Mediterranean, not the short hop to the Keys from Cuba.

sea signal

“X” post @jameslangelle

(no post available for this capsule).

(Begin Perplexity-AI)

operation sea signal construction, guantanamo, 1994

Operation Sea Signal, launched in May 1994, required rapid construction of refugee camps at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base to accommodate a large influx of Cuban and Haitian migrants13. The construction efforts were significant and challenging:

Camp Construction

• Tent cities were quickly erected across the windward side of the base, including Camp Alpha, Camp Bravo, Camp Golf, and Camp X-Ray1.
• The base golf course and McCalla airfield were repurposed as refugee holding camps1.
• Camps were constructed and filled to capacity within days4.

Infrastructure

• Fences were built using concertina wire covered in netting, surrounded by portable light generators1.
• Navy Seabees constructed concrete shower facilities within the camps1.
• Portable restrooms were placed throughout the camp areas1.

Challenges

• High heat conditions, water shortages, and large amounts of trash posed significant challenges1.
• The base’s isolated location required all supplies to be shipped by sea and air2.
• Potable water was produced by a desalination plant2.

Scale and Speed

• By August 1994, construction efforts expanded to prepare for housing up to 60,000 Cubans, in addition to the 15,000 Haitians already present5.
• The rapid buildup of military infrastructure was described as a “major feat”2.

The construction efforts were crucial in transforming Guantanamo to handle the massive influx of refugees, costing approximately $1 million per day4. The operation’s success heavily relied on the quick and efficient establishment of these temporary living quarters.

https://www.perplexity.ai/search/operation-sea-signal-construct-Hh7BKCg3RkqB0kvxTOa7AQ

(End Perplexity-AI)

Notes:

“Sea Signal was an expensive operation. The Joint Staff estimated incremental military costs in fiscal years 1994 and 1995 to be approximately $373 million. A September 1995 GAO estimate of the costs of all agencies associated with the Cuban migration alone was approximately $497 million. Total costs from May 1994 until the operation terminated in February 1996, for all agencies of the U.S. Government and for both the Haitian and Cuban governments, easily exceeded a half billion dollars.” (Operation Sea Signal: U.S. Military Support for Caribbean Migration Emergencies, May 1994 to February 1996)

migrant camps

“X” post by @jameslangelle

Guantanamo Bay R&R 02/02/25/1145PST: Map below (Miami Herald, 12 Sept. 1994, p.9A) dispersion of migrants across the base, slated to be #DHS zone confirmed by Sec. Kristi Noem (currently on horse in Texas), #ICE Tom Homan, SecDef Hegseth per CINC memorandum. (c) 2025 CyBot Media

 

 

(Begin Perplexity-AI)

separate migrant camps, guantanamo bay, 1994

In 1994, Guantanamo Bay Naval Base became a temporary home for thousands of Cuban and Haitian migrants as part of Operation Sea Signal, which lasted from May 1994 to February 19963. The operation was a response to a mass exodus of people fleeing their countries and seeking asylum in the United States.The migrants were housed in separate camps within Guantanamo Bay for various reasons:

1. Nationality: Cuban and Haitian migrants were kept in separate camps7.
2. Family status: There were specific camps for:
   • Intact families
   • Single men
   • Unaccompanied minors7
3. Behavior: Camp X-Ray was used to house migrants who committed crimes or seriously endangered the safety of others1.
4. Gender: While there weren’t enough single women to fill an entire camp, separate tents were set aside for them within the camps3.

The living conditions in these camps were challenging but considered adequate by observers8. The camps evolved over time, with improvements made to accommodate the large influx of migrants:

• Initially, U.S. Humanitarian rations were distributed as main meals.
• Later, military-style chow halls were added to the camps3.
• Recreational activities, such as soccer matches, were organized within the camps3.

At its peak, Guantanamo Bay housed approximately 50,000 migrants, with only 8,000 U.S. military personnel to manage the crisis13. The operation faced challenges, including riots and tensions between different groups of migrants6, but ultimately played a crucial role in providing temporary shelter and processing for these asylum seekers during a critical period in 1994-1996.

https://www.perplexity.ai/search/separate-migrant-camps-guantan-h1DQa_1qRO.i.kVxZN8qzg

(End Perplexity-AI)

Notes: 

The monumental task to house and care for the unfortunate migrants who risked unimaginable danger crossing from their home island to the mainland reflects the similar task facing the government at this very moment.

“X” post by @jameslangelle

Guantanamo Bay R&R 02/02/25/1200PST: Below, an image mosaic of the separate migrant camps at the base in 1994, pursuant to new CINC order #DHS Kristi Noem (on horse, Texas border), #ICE Tom Homan (not on horse) SecDef Hegseth. (c) 2025 Borderlands Post.

 

https://perplexity.ai/search/separate-migrant-camps-guantan-h1DQa_1qRO.i.kVxZN8qzg

camp mccalla

“X” post by @jameslangelle

(no post available for this capsule)

(Begin Perplexity-AI)

camp mccalla, guantanamo, 1994

Camp McCalla was one of several refugee camps established at the U.S. Naval Base Guantánamo Bay during Operation Sea Signal, which took place from May 1994 to February 19962. The camp was part of the U.S. military’s response to the influx of Cuban and Haitian migrants seeking asylum in the United States26.Camp McCalla primarily housed Haitian refugees. In July and August 1994, Haitian migrants were processed by ArFor 160 at this camp4. More than 14,000 Haitian refugees were accommodated in the Camp McCalla tent facilities7. The camp was located on the windward side of the base, along with other camps such as Camp Alpha, Camp Bravo, Camp Golf, and Camp X-Ray2.Living conditions in the camps, including Camp McCalla, were challenging:

1. Refugees lived in tents and slept on military-issue cots2.
2. The camp faced issues such as high heat, water shortages, and lack of proper restroom facilities2.
3. Security measures included fences made of concertina wire covered in netting, surrounded by portable light generators2.

Camp McCalla was among the last camps to be closed during the operation. The residents of Camp McCalla were the last group of Cuban refugees to leave Guantánamo on January 31, 1996, marking the end of the 1994 rafter crisis1

https://www.perplexity.ai/search/camp-mccalla-guantanamo-1994-iU0EoQ.kSr6Mj0HeN.m6EQ

(End Perplexity-AI)

Notes: The Cubans were kept separate from the Cubans; unclear if a similar arrangement will be made for the current camp setup.

camp bulkeley

“X” post by @jameslangelle

(No post available for this capsule)

(Begin Perplexity-AI)

camp bulkeley, guantanamo, 1994

In 1994, Camp Bulkeley at the United States Naval Station Guantanamo Bay played a significant role during the Haitian refugee crisis13. The camp, originally constructed between 1943-45 to house Marines, had been repurposed to accommodate Haitian refugees fleeing political turmoil in their home country1.During this period, Camp Bulkeley and other areas of the naval station were used to house thousands of Haitian and Cuban migrants4. The camp gained notoriety for its controversial use as a detention center for HIV-positive Haitian refugees3. Although the HIV camp had officially closed on July 18, 1993, following a legal battle and protests, Guantanamo was reopened less than a year later in June 1994 to hold refugees once again3.The conditions at Camp Bulkeley were described as challenging:

1. The camp was situated on a windswept, barren stretch of ground overlooking the Caribbean2.
2. It consisted of simple whitewashed buildings and concrete slabs designed for tents2.
3. Each tent could accommodate 18-20 cots, offering little privacy to the occupants2.

American troops attempted to improve the spartan conditions at the tent city and Camp Bulkeley for the Haitian refugees7. Despite these efforts, the camp remained a symbol of the complex humanitarian and political issues surrounding the treatment of refugees at Guantanamo Bay.

(Text clipping: Marilyn Garatiex, Escape tries still amaze Coast Guard, The Miami Herald, 12 Sept. 1994, page 9A)

https://www.perplexity.ai/search/camp-bulkeley-guantanamo-1994-h2yBSLWpRHCVqEGgdoUIpg

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Notes:

Guantanamo Bay R&R 02/02/25/1300PST: Op Sea Signal, 1994, boat people Macapagal Labarre, Haiti, in front of watercraft (Akron Beacon Journal, 04/07/94/a2) Rf. CINC memo, #DHS Kristi Noem (not in boat, on horse, Texas), #ICE Tom Homan, SecDef Hegseth.

 

 

 

 

 

minefield

“X” post by @jameslangelle

Guantanamo Bay R&R: 02/02/25/1100PST: Presidential memorandum to #DHS Kristi Noem, #ICE Tom Homan, SecDef Hegseth forgets to mention the minefield, #Cuba, surrounding the base, where expat migrant kids might stray into to play. Rf.

(Begin Perplexity-AI)

guantanamo bay minefield

The Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, established in 1903, was surrounded by one of the largest minefields in the Western Hemisphere, second only in size globally2. In 1961, following the Cuban Missile Crisis, U.S. and Cuban troops laid approximately 55,000 anti-personnel and anti-tank mines around the base’s 17-mile perimeter12.The minefield posed significant dangers:

1. Accidents occurred despite maps and warning signs. In 1964, five U.S. Navy sailors were killed when they wandered into a minefield at night5.
2. Between 1961 and 1965, at least 10 people died from landmine explosions2.
3. Several Cuban defectors lost their lives attempting to cross the minefield1.

The Minefield Maintenance (MFM) section, a unit of Marine Combat Engineers, was responsible for maintaining the minefields from 1961 to 20001. Their hazardous work involved locating, digging up, and replacing live explosives daily. Throughout the unit’s history, 13 engineers died working in the minefields1.In 1996, President Bill Clinton ordered the removal of mines on the U.S. side2. By early 2000, the entire base perimeter was certified mine-free, with the MFM section deactivated after nearly 40 years of service1. However, the Cuban government has not removed its corresponding minefield outside the perimeter2.In recent years, the area has faced new challenges. In 2018, a wildfire burned through the former minefield, causing several mines in Cuban territory to explode and forcing the evacuation of approximately 300 base residents3

https://www.perplexity.ai/search/guantanamo-bay-minefield-X.nF1IHORO.ShyvqmzXDYQ

(End Perplexity-AI)

Afterword

     Regardless of the tremendous effort witnessed in Operation Sea Signal to contain migration influx into the United States, the flow continues and has since the Clinton administration. It has become a seminal political topic in elections, and no one has really taken it seriously after winning. 

     Will the current political climate of the new administration have the wind taken out of its sails as it attempts to cross the Florida Straits of cost, public opinion, political rivalry, legal restrictions and jurisdiction, and the ever-growing threat of the new menace which was championed by the victors in the recent election, the citizen journalist, social media.

(Image credit: The Oregonian, 25 August 1994, p1.)