| WASHINGTON – The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) early Thursday morning adopted two amendments from Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee and a senior HASC member, to the National Defense Authorization Act. These amendments would block the transfer of Guantanamo detainees to certain countries that present a threat to national security.
“The border crisis has depleted manpower and resources across the Department of Homeland Security, creating new security vulnerabilities,” Rogers said. “Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Venezuela are part of illicit pathways to the border. Releasing a hardened radical into a country with smuggling routes into the United States is asking for trouble. HASC members did the right thing by prohibiting Guantanamo detainees from being released there.”
Rogers continued, “Further, it is common sense not to send Guantanamo detainees to our enemies. I am pleased that members of the committee voted to bar the release of detainees to some of the most hostile countries across the globe.”
Amendment 250 prohibits the transfer of detainees to Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Venezuela. It was adopted by a vote of 29-28.
Amendment 253 prohibits the transfer of detainees to Cuba, Iran, Russia, and North Korea. It was adopted by voice vote.
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