States hint at lawsuits over Gitmo detainees

Three states are hinting at the possibility of a lawsuit should the White House move ahead with its widely expected plan to close the detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and relocate dozens of detainees to sites throughout the United States.  

In a letter to the White House on Wednesday, the attorneys general from Colorado, Kansas and South Carolina said that they would “explore all legal options available to ensure the safety and security of our citizens and to enforce the rule of law.”

{mosads}All three states are possible destinations for Guantanamo Bay detainees.

The letter follows on Attorney General Loretta Lynch’s claim on Tuesday that the law “currently does not allow” the Obama administration to transfer detainees from Guantanamo Bay to the U.S., an acknowledgement that was seized upon by critics of the White House’s expected plan. 

“Your proposed action denigrates the Constitution and defies the rule of law,” the attorneys general wrote on Wednesday. “It disrupts domestic tranquility and therefore the general welfare of the states.”

The White House has promised to reveal a plan to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility in coming days. Despite Lynch’s claim, many watchers expect that plan to include transferring dozens of detainees to various facilities across the country. Other detainees, who have been cleared for transfer overseas, would presumably be sent to foreign countries.

In recent weeks, the administration has sent officials to explore the possibility of housing dozens of the detainees at facilities in Colorado, Kansas and South Carolina.

Any action by the White House would surely invite a legal challenge, given the repeated congressional efforts to block Obama’s repeated intention to close Guantanamo Bay.

The detention facility’s continued existence is a black eye on the country, the president has said, and serves as a propaganda tool for Islamic extremists.