Obama should keep ‘Gitmo’ open

Dear Friends,

Last week, President Barack Obama issued an executive order for the closure of the terrorist detainee facility at Guantanamo Bay. I am adamantly against this decision.

I have toured prisons all around the world and I have personally visited the Guantanamo Bay facility. I can assure you this facility is more than acceptable to house terrorist suspects. In my opinion, it is far too nice for the ‘worst-of-the-worst’.

The decision to close this facility and transfer its occupants to the United States is a dangerous one. It is in the interest of national security that I urge the President to reconsider this decision. There are numerous legal ramifications concerning this plan – number one being the potential release of terrorists on US soil. It is already proven that we do not adequately deport criminal illegals after they have served their time in US prisons and this will be no different.

In response, I have cosponsored H.R. 630, the Enemy Combatant Detention Review Act. This bill establishes clear rules regarding the detention of known terrorists, specifically prohibits a federal court from ordering the government to bring enemy combatants into the US and ensures that an aliencaptured and detained abroad during wartime cannot be admitted and released in the US.

The American people need to have faith that our government is doing everything it can to keep terrorists out of our country, not purposely bringing them here. I have already received calls from concerned citizens wanting toknow if they would be transferred to federal penitentiaries in their area. A recent Pentagon report shows, that of those already released, 61 have rejoined terrorist activities. There needs to be serious consideration of the potential risks involved with this plan before any action is taken.

Congressman Ted Poe,
(R-2)