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Several Michigan lawmakers told a house committee yesterday that they are in favor housing out-of-state prisoners in Standish - and they prefer inmates from other states instead of detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
The lawmakers prefer inmates from other states because Michigan corrections officers would continue to run the Standish prison.
But if detainees from Guantanamo Bay were brought in, that would not be the case, because it would become a military operation.
Tim Moore represents the 97th house district, which includes Standish.
"Could they (Michigan prison guards) do a great job within the system? Absolutely," said Moore. "But when you look at the federal government, and they have their prerequisites and things we're going to follow, certain order, so if it's a military operation, you're going to be military running it."
Besides the federal government, California is one of the states looking at utilizing the Standish prison.
State Representative Andrew Kandrevas, who represents a district in metro Detroit, favors housing those inmates, as opposed to Guantanamo detainees.
"We know what the California prisoners did. Alright. They have a record," said Kandrevas. "We know what they're like, we know they've gone through different mental and physical diagnosis, and we know what type of conditions they respond to. We know nothing about the detainees, and that's a fear because the feds aren't going to just start opening their files to us."
Local officials, however, say they would accept Guantanamo detainees, if that's what it takes to keep the Standish prison open.
The lawmakers prefer inmates from other states because Michigan corrections officers would continue to run the Standish prison.
But if detainees from Guantanamo Bay were brought in, that would not be the case, because it would become a military operation.
Tim Moore represents the 97th house district, which includes Standish.
"Could they (Michigan prison guards) do a great job within the system? Absolutely," said Moore. "But when you look at the federal government, and they have their prerequisites and things we're going to follow, certain order, so if it's a military operation, you're going to be military running it."
Besides the federal government, California is one of the states looking at utilizing the Standish prison.
State Representative Andrew Kandrevas, who represents a district in metro Detroit, favors housing those inmates, as opposed to Guantanamo detainees.
"We know what the California prisoners did. Alright. They have a record," said Kandrevas. "We know what they're like, we know they've gone through different mental and physical diagnosis, and we know what type of conditions they respond to. We know nothing about the detainees, and that's a fear because the feds aren't going to just start opening their files to us."
Local officials, however, say they would accept Guantanamo detainees, if that's what it takes to keep the Standish prison open.
