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MoveOn to Obama: Close Guantanamo; Trump’s Comments ‘Petrifying Reminder’ of Dangers of Keeping Guantanamo Open

Ilya Sheyman, executive director of MoveOn.org Political Action, offered the following public statement urging President Obama to close Guantanamo immediately, in light of Donald Trump’s recent indication that he would be willing to try U.S. citizens at the prison:

“Donald Trump’s illegal proposal to try U.S. citizens at Guantanamo prison is a petrifying reminder of the dangers of keeping Guantanamo open into future Administrations.

“This is not Trump’s first outrageous Guantanamo statement. He previously suggested he would once again pack the prison with so-called ‘bad guys.’

“Trump’s most recent remark is the latest reminder that President Obama should take immediate action to put an end to this shameful Bush-era legacy and close Guantanamo. Such an action would effectively shut down any risk that a President Trump could invest our nation once again in this shameful legacy, while also making good on a goal President Obama set for his tenure in office.

“MoveOn members have a long commitment to fighting for the closure of Guantanamo, most recently joining allies at the American Civil Liberties Union to help win the freedom of Mohamedou Ould Slahi, a man who suffered unspeakable torture during his wrongful imprisonment in Guantanamo.”