Thank you for contacting me about incarcerating Guantanamo detainees in Thomson, Illinois. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue.


First let me say that I am as concerned about the threat of terrorism as any American who lived through 9/11. I can still recall the black smoke billowing across the National Mall from the fiery crash at the Pentagon. I thank God that while that tragic day increased our vigilance, it did not diminish our commitment to our constitutional values. Each time I visit with soldiers about to be deployed or the wounded warriors at Water Reed, I am heartened by their courage and their unwavering commitment to our nation and its values in spite of the threats they face.


The decision to close the detention facility at Guantanamo, a symbol of the Bush Administration's failed interrogation policies and one of Al-Qaeda's most salient recruitment tools, is supported by Defense Secretary Robert Gates; the CentCom Commander, General David Petraeus; the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Admiral Michael Mullen; and General and former Secretary of State Colin Powell, among others.


According to our national security experts, closing Guantanamo and transferring fewer than 100 detainees to the Thomson facility will not pose a threat to our state or nation. Instead, it will help us show the world that the values we hold dear as Americans - freedom, human dignity, and the rule of law - continue to guide us regardless of the challenges we face, and that staying true to those values will ultimately make our troops and our nation safer.


Opponents have claimed that Guantanamo detainees are too dangerous to be held in a federal prison. The reality is that our prisons are full of violent criminals, including mass murderers, rapists, child molesters, and even international terrorists. In fact, 340 convicted terrorists are being securely held in our prisons today, including more than 25 incarcerated in Illinois.


On December 15, 2009, the Administration announced that the federal government will purchase from the State of Illinois the Thomson Correctional Center, a nearly empty state-of-the-art maximum security prison built in 2001. The Bureau of Prisons will operate the majority of the facility as a new federal prison, and the Defense Department will lease and operate a portion of the facility to incarcerate up to 100 Guantanamo detainees. The bipartisan Illinois Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability has endorsed the sale of the Thomson Correctional Center to the federal government.


The security of the Thomson facility will be the government's top priority. Thomson is already a maximum security facility, and it will be enhanced to exceed the security standards at the supermax prison in Florence, Colorado, by adding an additional perimeter fence. No prisoner has ever escaped from a supermax facility. Also, the facility will be reconfigured to provide the capability of holding military tribunals onsite, so there will be no need to shuttle prisoners in and out of the facility on a regular basis.


Northwest Illinois has been hit hard by our current economic recession. Operation of the Thomson prison will breathe new economic life into that part of Illinois. Local leaders support the move. The White House Council of Economic Advisors estimates that up to 3,800 jobs will be created, including both direct federal jobs at the prison and indirect support jobs in the region. The local economy and region will see an influx of up to $1 billion in economic activity. This is expected to reduce unemployment in the area and increase the earnings of area residents by more than $200 million annually.


Some constituents have contacted my office because they were told, erroneously, that federal prison visitation rules would allow terrorists and others connected to the detainees to visit, causing an influx of dangerous extremists to the area. This will not be the case. The portion of the facility holding Guantanamo detainees will be operated by the Department of Defense, and there are no visitation privileges at military prisons.


In addition, the President has made it clear that none of these detainees will be released into the United States. Federal law explicitly bars their release on U.S. soil. Even if it was determined that detainment of these individuals was no longer warranted, they would have no immigration status in the United States and would be deported. The federal government has broad authority to continue to detain individuals during their deportation proceedings.


I am confident that Guantanamo detainees can be held safely at the Thomson prison. As we have done throughout our history, Illinois has once again responded to our nation's call. All Illinoisans can be proud that our state will play an important role in bringing to justice those who would do us harm. Thank you again for contacting me.


Sincerely,
Richard J. Durbin
United States Senator


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