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President Biden.
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Congress has long restricted the president’s ability to move Guantánamo Bay detainees, most notably after former President Barack Obama promised to close the facility during his second term in office. Obama was hampered in that promise by the restricted use of funds, a move some lawmakers argued was necessary to prevent potentially dangerous detainees from threatening American soil.
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President Biden.
(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Biden’s statement also argued that the continued restrictions will hamper the executive branch’s ability to comply with a court order mandating the release of a detainee, while other limitations will make it difficult to negotiate potential transfers with foreign countries. The president added that such limitations “may in some cases make it difficult to effectuate the transfer of detainees in a manner that does not threaten national security.”
“I urge the Congress to eliminate these restrictions as soon as possible,” Biden said.
