Speaker: Legal steps to stop Obama from closing Guantanamo

Ryan told reporters it would be against the law for Obama to bring detainees from the prison in Cuba to the United States, because it would violate a ban on such transfers passed by Congress in 2015. He added that not only Republicans but also many in Obama’s own Democratic Party, opposed detainee transfers to USA soil.

The prison located in Cuba was opened in January 2002 under Bush administration in order to bring detainees from the Afghanistan War to the American naval base. The closure plan does not identify a specific facility, though congressional language mandating the plan called for a location to be specified.

Republicans in the House of Representatives are preparing legal action in case President Barack Obama tries to transfer detainees at the military prison at Guantanamo Bay to the United States, House Speaker Paul Ryan says.

In the Senate, Armed Services Chairman John McCain dismissed the plan as incomplete and said GOP senators would join their House counterparts on any legal challenge. The facilities would include seven existing prisons in Colorado, South Carolina and Kansas. Because of the annual operating savings, the officials said the USA would make up the initial construction costs in three to five years. “We must safeguard the missions on Fort Leavenworth, the almost 14,000 military and civilian personnel and their family members, and the thousands of Kansans who live in the Leavenworth community”.

Attorney General Loretta Lynch echoed that sentiment in November, arguing the law “currently doesn’t allow” detainees to be transferred to the United States, and said the option “is not, as I am aware of, going to be contemplated, given the legal prescriptions”. Photo: UPI/Roger L. Wollenberg ” I don’t want to pass this problem onto the next president, whoever it is”, said Obama in an appearance at the White House.

Congress has an opportunity to close the detention facility in a way that maintains USA national security, saves taxpayer money, eliminates a terrorist propaganda tool, and strengthens US relations with allies, Cook said at a Pentagon news conference.

On that point, Obama’s proposal faced criticism even from those who endorse closing the detention center.

There are now 91 detainees at Guantanamo Bay.

At its peak in 2003, Guantanamo held almost 680 detainees, and there were about 245 when Obama took office.