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Attorney General Loretta Lynch admits that it’s currently against the law for the Obama Administration to transfer any of the 91 Guantanamo Bay detainees to prisons on U.S. soil.
During testimony Wednesday before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science & Related Agencies, Lynch said that despite it being against the law to transfer prisoners into the U.S., the Obama administration “is committed to closing” Guantanamo Bay.
Chair of the subcommittee Rep. [crscore]John Culberson[/crscore] said to Lynch, “And as you know in the fiscal year 2016 appropriations act for the Department of Justice, it includes two very specific provisions that prohibit funds from being used to transfer, release, or assist in the transfer of detainees to the United States or its territories and that prohibits the Department of Justice from acquiring, building, or modifying any facility in the U.S. or its territories to house those detainees.”
“Would you agree the federal government is prohibited from establishing such facilities and transferring Guantanamo detainee into the United States or its territories?” Culberson asked.
“Certainly that is the state of the law most recently passed in the NDAA. And certainly as it respects the Department’s appropriations, we also do not participate in efforts to do so. I believe the president’s plan reflects the Administration’s ongoing goal to close Guantanamo Bay because of the ongoing problems its causes its enemies particularly abroad as the terrorist recruiting center and certainly in the national security work we see the effects of that,” Lynch claimed.
“The Administration is committed to closing that. And of course, we support those efforts. I would note the Administration is committed to working with Congress to make it happen. And certainly in light of the current statutory framework, we anticipate that’s what will occur,” Lynch said. “So if there is a request of the Department in connection with the effort of course we’ll be happy to help in that regard.”
Culberson replied, “But obviously you will not take any action of any kind to assist in the transfer of Guantanamo detainees into the United States until Congress changes the law.”
“Well, certainly, that would be prohibited of doing so,” Lynch said, adding, “I’m not aware of efforts at this time in any event.”