Closing the Guantanamo Bay prison has been a longtime goal of the Obama Administration, and the White House announced on Wednesday that it’s getting closer.

Closing the Guantanamo Bay prison has been a longtime goal of the Obama Administration, and the White House announced on Wednesday that it’s getting closer. 

Press secretary Josh Earnest described the plans to shutter the facility as being in their 'final stages.'

Earnest also noted that spending 100 million dollars a year to keep 116 prisoners is wasteful. 

Some of those who oppose the prison’s closure say that it’s a bad move at this time, due to the increasing threat the Islamic State presents.

It was pointed out by Earnest that Guantanamo Bay has become a known recruiting ground for terrorists. 

One of the issues involved in shutting the facility down is where to transfer the detainees. 

At present, there is a ban on bringing them into the U.S.