The administration argues the men's home countries won't take them — but lawyers say getting sent to a country like South Sudan could lead to more persecution.
Trying to flee the war in Yemen, some U.S. passport holders are stuck in Djibouti due to slow immigration processes and the Trump administration's ban on travel from countries including Yemen.
The move is historic for Beijing, which has aimed to project a presence in Africa: "This base will support China's navy to go farther afield," state-run media say, "and it is of great significance."