Bhumika Ghimire
 

Guantanamo Bay, Cuba coming to Illinois

The Washington Post says:

"Dozens of terrorism suspects being held at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, will be moved to a little-used Illinois state prison that will be acquired and upgraded by the federal government, an Obama administration official said.

The critical step toward fulfilling President Obama's pledge to shut the Guantanamo detention center will be announced Tuesday, said the official, who reported that Obama has ordered the acquisition of the eight-year-old Thomson Correctional Center, about 150 miles northwest of Chicago."

Wikipedia has some interesting information on the prison itself; for example, controversy surrounding its construction so near the Mississippi River.

"Thomson Correctional Center is a maximum security prison located just outside of Thomson, Illinois. It has an area of about 146 acres (59 ha) and comprises 15 buildings. The facility is enclosed by a 12-foot (3.7 m) exterior fence and 15-foot (4.6 m) interior fence.[1] There are eight cellhouses with 1,600 total cells. There is an additional minimum security unit with 200 beds. The facility currently houses about 150 minimum-security prisoners.

Thomson Correctional Center was built in 2001. The building of the prison was controversial; early plans suggested using the site of the former Savanna Army Depot, several miles north of Thomson. One of the main reasons the prison was controversial was concern that the prison would have a negative impact on the environment, especially being so close to the Mississippi River."

Here is my take: