MSNBC: White House preparing to move Gitmo detainees to IL prison

[grantcart]

According to MSNBC the White House is preparing to announce a major move of Gitmo detainees to a prison in IL



http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34424834/ns/us_news-security/
The President continues to work to close GITMO as promised.

WASHINGTON - Taking an important step on the thorny path to closing the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay Cuba, the White House plans to announce Tuesday that the government will acquire an underutilized state prison in rural Illinois to be the new home for a limited number of terrorist suspects held at Guantanamo.

Administration officials as well as Illinois Sen. Richard Durbin and Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn will make an official announcement at the White House.

Officials from both the White House and Durbin's office confirmed that President Barack Obama had directed the government to acquire Thomson Correctional Center in Thomson, Ill., a sleepy town near the Mississippi River about 150 miles from Chicago.

[rwheeler31]

1. This is a great story that will not get coverage.

[Cha]

3. Not too much, huh?

At least msnbc has it. As awful as it is to make an economy out of a prison in your community..I hope this works for what they had hoped for in this "sleepy little town".

[grantcart]

5. nothing on DU either lol

[GoCubsGo]

7. Sure it will

As soon as Limbaugh, Beck, and the others get a hold of it, we'll be hearing nothing but fear-mongering over it.

[Cha]

2. Tricky..

"The Thomson Correctional Center was built by Illinois in 2001 as a state prison with the potential to house maximum security inmates. Local officials hoped it would improve the local economy, providing jobs to a hard-hit community. State budget problems, however, have kept the 1,600-cell prison from ever fully opening. At present, it houses about 200 minimum-security inmates."

Good on Gitmo shutting down and I hope this all works as best it can in Thomson, Illinois.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

6. A little about the area...

from a former resident - I grew up just north of the prison.

There are 16,000 residents in Carroll County and there is 10% unemployment. Assuming that the workforce is about 8,000 persons (excluding children and elderly), that means this prison could all but eliminate unemployment in an area that has been an economic basket case going back to the mid-1970's when the railroads started to pull out.

Christmas just came a little early in Thomson.

[Cha]

9. Thanks good to hear Jeff!

I'm thinking the White House took all this into consideration too.

[LiberalFighter]

4. They need to send all the prisoners to Lieberman's home.

[jberryhill]

12. That would be cruel /nt

[bluethruandthru]

8. Oooh, all the fraidy cat republicans will be sure to steer clear

of there! I'm surprised the teabaggers are picketing.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

10. This is great news!

[Lord Helmet]

11. It's good to see progress on this.