Biden Administration

Rep. Gimenez Urging White House to Not Move Guantanamo Bay Detainees to South Florida

The Biden Administration last week indicated it might close the detention camp in Cuba and there’s a move to take the two federal prisons in Miami-Dade County off any list

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A member of Congress from South Florida is urging the White House to not consider any possible plan that would move detainees held on Guantanamo Bay to South Florida.

The Biden Administration last week indicated it might close the detention camp in Cuba and there’s a move to take the two federal prisons in Miami-Dade County off any list that could hold detainees.

A letter will be sent to the White House this week from first-term Rep. Carlos Gimenez, who told NBC 6 that he started looking into this when the White House indicated the possible move.

"It could make us a target unnecessarily - South Florida, especially if they are held here," the Republican from Miami-Dade said. "I would encourage them not to bring them. But if that’s their wish, please don’t put them here in South Florida."

Gimenez sent the letter to President Biden so that the two federal prisons - one right next to Zoo Miami and the other that is part of the Federal Court complex in downtown Miami - are removed from any list that planners from the White House and Federal Bureau of Prisons take a look at.

The two facilities are the closest to the prison and that’s one of the reasons Gimenez wanted to get out in front of this possibility.

Eric Spears, the union president at one of the federal facilities, told NBC 6 their members don’t want the prisoners here either because workers already have their hands full.  

Spears also says there are legal questions about housing those at Guantanamo Bay in the United States to begin with. As of 2021, there are 40 detainees at the detention center.

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