Advocacy groups like the Transgender Law Center reported she was held in a men's facility, denied urgent medical care, and isolated from her family.
In early 2025, Tarlis sought safety in the U.S. but was instead detained by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) at the naval base.
The title "Atrapada" (Trapped) resonates with several recurring themes in literature and documentaries about the base: Atrapada en Guantanamo
While Guantánamo Bay is synonymous with the "War on Terror," Tarlis's story highlights its role in U.S. immigration policy.
Reports from the ACLU and other observers frequently highlight a pattern of medical neglect and "routinized torture" intended to break a prisoner's psyche. Historical Context Advocacy groups like the Transgender Law Center reported
Her case reignited debates about Guantánamo’s "legal limbo." Because the base is on leased Cuban land, the U.S. government has historically argued that constitutional protections do not apply to non-citizens held there, a precedent dating back to the detention of Haitian refugees in the early 1990s. Broader Themes: A "Trap" of Sovereignty
Works like the documentary The Guantanamo Trap explore how the base functions as a space where "normal" laws are suspended, creating a trap for anyone—from detainees to whistleblowers—caught in its system. denied urgent medical care
Much like Mohamedou Ould Slahi's famous Guantánamo Diary , stories from the base are often heavily redacted or suppressed by the government.