WASHINGTON, D.C.– In a recent interview, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter admitted that any move to transfer prisoners from the Guantanamo Bay naval base detention center to America, and potentially to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas would be strictly illegal. Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins (KS-02) released the following statement in response:

“Once more, yet another top aide to President Obama has let slip that the administration knows transferring Guantanamo Bay detainees to the United States is illegal.

Given that this has been true since 2009, when a Democrat-controlled Congress first inserted language I helped draft into an appropriations bill prohibiting any transfer, it seems this realization has been a long time coming. While the President has taken the “go it alone” approach far too often, it is reassuring that he has acknowledged in this situation it would be illegal for him to do so.

My first bill I authored in Congress was to stop President Obama from fulfilling his campaign promise and I can assure you that I will work tirelessly to ensure this Congress will reject any plan by the President to close the Guantanamo Bay detention center that could lead to detainees at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.