White House Report On Thomson Illinois Prison

Updated: Sunday, 22 Nov 2009, 6:31 PM CST
Published : Sunday, 22 Nov 2009, 6:31 PM CST

A White House analysis says a deal to house Guantanamo Bay detainees at the prison in Thomson, Ill., could
bring nearly 3,000 jobs to the area.

The analysis by the president's Council of Economic Advisers estimates local residents would be "excellent candidates" for up to 1,400 of the new jobs.

The report comes as officials from the federal Bureau of Prisons and the Illinois Department of Corrections toured the facility this weekend, along with lawmakers from Illinois and Iowa.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois said lawmakers fully support plans to sell Thomson to the federal government.

The Department of Defense and Bureau of Prisons would turn the facility into a federal prison to be used to relocate detainees.

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