WASHINGTON, July 26 (UPI) -- Two men held at the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, will be sent back to Algeria, the White House said Friday.
White House spokesman Jay Carney said the Defense Department advised Congress of the proposed transfer.
"As the president has said, the United States remains determined to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay," Carney said.
The transfer would be the first since 2010.
"We are taking this step in consultation with the Congress, and in a responsible manner that protects our national security," Carney said.
"We continue to call on Congress to join us in supporting these efforts by lifting the current restrictions that significantly limit our ability to transfer detainees out of Guantanamo, even those who have been approved for transfer," he said.
