U.S. Marines flew to Guantanamo Bay in Cuba as preparations were made at the notorious prison for the detention of illegal immigrants.

Footage shows members of the 2nd Marine Division boarding a Navy C-40A at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point on February 3. They are departing for Naval Station Guantanamo Bay under President Donald Trump's orders.

Last week, Trump announced plans to direct the Pentagon and Department of Homeland Security to prepare a migrant detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, capable of housing up to 30,000 migrants.

Trump said: 'We have 30,000 beds in Guantanamo to detain the worst criminal illegal aliens threatening the American people.

'Some of them are so bad, we don't even trust the countries to hold them because we don't want them coming back. So we're going to send them out to Guantanamo. That's a tough place to get out of.'

The detention facility was established in 2002 by former President George W. Bush to house foreign suspects involved in militant activities after the 9/11 attacks. The prison currently holds 15 detainees.

Despite efforts by former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden to close the facility, Trump has pledged to keep it open. Both Democrats attempted to reduce the prison population, but they were unsuccessful in shutting it down.

Human rights organisations have widely criticised the detention centre for the indefinite detention of prisoners and harsh interrogation practices, which many have condemned as torture.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel denounced the plan, calling it 'an act of brutality'.

Trump, known for his hardline nationalist and anti-immigrant rhetoric, has promised a sweeping crackdown on undocumented and illegal immigrants in the country.

On his first day of office, he declared a 'national emergency' at the southern border with Mexico.

He has also issued a memo telling the U.S. Agency for International Development to adopt an 'America First' policy, threatening sanctions on staff who refuse to obey.

Dozens of deportation flights have also taken off, sending illegals back to their homeland in handcuffs.