(TRUNEWS) President Obama has threatened to use “Executive Action” to close the Guantanamo Bay prison, less than a day after he held a press conference announcing his plans to shut it down.
As reported by TRUNEWS Tuesday, President Obama wants to close the facility, which houses terror suspects, claiming it is a threat to national security and is too expensive. Some of the prisoners would be released, others transferred to prisons in the U.S.
The White House is blaming the possible action on Republicans in Congress, claiming they are “refusing to engage”.
“I’m not going to stand up here and unilaterally take any options off the table when it comes to the president’s use of his executive authority,” said White House spokesman Josh Earnest, venting that lawmakers are also ignoring Mr. Obama’s budget proposal and his intention to fill a Supreme Court vacancy. “There is this emerging trend in Congress that has worsened in just the last few weeks.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has agreed to review the plan but pointed out that Congress has already make their opinion known that they do not agree with closing the prison, according to The Washington Times.
It is currently unlawful to move the Gitmo detainees to the U.S.
“Our law is really clear. These detainees cannot come to American soil,” said House Speaker Paul Ryan during a news conference. “We are making legal preparations if the president tries to break the law.”
Ryan claims an executive action would be in violation of the separation of powers stated in the Constitution.
U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) speaks during a session on “The Business of Taxes” at the Wall Street Journal’s CEO Council meeting in Washington December 2, 2014.
REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
The administration also claims it is worried about money, but transferring the detainees to U.S. facilities would cost $290-$475 million.
There are currently 91 detainees at the prison. At one time there were more than 800. Some have been released.
The White House said less than 10 percent of former Gitmo prisoners have returned to terrorism after they were let go. But, several have hooked up with their former jihadi associates to carry out attacks overseas.
The post Obama threatens Executive Action to close Guantanamo appeared first on TRUNEWS with Rick Wiles.
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