Report: State Department shuttering office dedicated to closing Guantánamo Bay

The State Department is shuttering the office dedicated to closing the Guantánamo Bay prison in Cuba in an apparent signal that the White House has given up for now, The New York Times reported Monday. 

The special diplomatic envoy tasked with repatriating and resettling the detainees, Daniel Fried, will become the State Department's coordinator for sanctions policy, according to an internal personnel announcement obtained by the Times. His previous responsibilities will be assumed by the office of the department's legal adviser.

Obama during his 2008 presidential campaign promised to close the prison that became a stain on the United States's human-rights record during President George W. Bush's presidency, but got nowhere after lawmakers refused to transfer the detainees to the continental United States to stand trial in criminal court. Obama threatened to veto a one-year restriction on transferring detainees to the United States in this year's defense authorization bill, but ended up signing it earlier this month.

“Approximately 166” detainees remain at the facility, Obama said in December. This month marks the 11th year the prison has been open.

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