COLUMBIA, South Carolina — The governors of South Carolina and Kansas wrote to the Obama administration on Tuesday, threatening to sue if detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, are brought to military installations in either state.
“We will not be part of any illegal and ill-advised action by this Administration, especially when that action relates to importing terrorists into our states,” Govs. Nikki Haley and Sam Brownback told Defense Secretary Ash Carter. “Please know that we will take any action within our power to make sure no Guantanamo Bay detainees are transferred to South Carolina or Kansas.”
RELATED: Military team surveys US sites for potential Guantanamo Bay transfers
At a news conference last week, Haley said Defense Department officials were “wasting their time” in evaluating the Naval Brig near Charleston as a potential site to house detainees and that she would not “allow South Carolina to be a magnet for terrorists.” The Pentagon has said it will send a survey team to the military prison in South Carolina by month’s end, and a similar assessment was conducted earlier this month at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
The closure of the Guantanamo Bay detention center has been a priority for President Barack Obama, but the effort has faced persistent hurdles, including staunch opposition from congressional Republicans and some Democrats. About 52 of the 116 current detainees have been cleared for release. The remaining 64 have been deemed too dangerous.
Several members of South Carolina’s congressional delegation, including U.S. Rep. Mark Sanford — Haley’s predecessor as governor — and U.S. Sen. Tim Scott have expressed concerns about the potential transfers.









