Brene Brown

The government's argument was basically that Guantanamo was land without law, a black hole. Because it was outside the United States, they didn't have to comply with the Constitution.

The government's argument was basically that Guantanamo was land without law, a black hole. Because it was outside the United States, they didn't have to comply with the Constitution.

So Guantanamo is a very unusual legal entity in that the United States has, since 1903, had a treaty with the Cuban government where the United States has complete jurisdiction and control, that's the term, over the area of Cuba, which is called Guantanamo. Right.

So Guantanamo is a very unusual legal entity in that the United States has, since 1903, had a treaty with the Cuban government where the United States has complete jurisdiction and control, that's the term, over the area of Cuba, which is called Guantanamo. Right.

So we just pointed out that it's essentially an American enclave. The U.S. flag is the only flag that flies there. The only law that applies there is U.S. law. It looks like Middle America, there's a McDonald's, there's a shopping mall. And the only thing that doesn't apply is the US Constitution, according to them, which meant that they could do with these people what they wanted.

So we just pointed out that it's essentially an American enclave. The U.S. flag is the only flag that flies there. The only law that applies there is U.S. law. It looks like Middle America, there's a McDonald's, there's a shopping mall. And the only thing that doesn't apply is the US Constitution, according to them, which meant that they could do with these people what they wanted.

If that were true, they could discriminate against people based on their race. They could prevent them from worshiping the God of their choice. They could force pregnant women to have abortions against their consent. And then we found out that iguanas are protected by U.S. environmental law on Guantanamo. So iguanas have rights but not human beings.

If that were true, they could discriminate against people based on their race. They could prevent them from worshiping the God of their choice. They could force pregnant women to have abortions against their consent. And then we found out that iguanas are protected by U.S. environmental law on Guantanamo. So iguanas have rights but not human beings.

And then the deputy attorney general called me and said, we will release the 235 HIV-positive Haitians if you agree to vacate the precedent that aliens on Guantanamo have due process rights. And I thought, what if they bring more aliens to Guantanamo in the future? Shouldn't we have this precedent? But then it was pretty clear that this is about the lives of 235 people.

And then the deputy attorney general called me and said, we will release the 235 HIV-positive Haitians if you agree to vacate the precedent that aliens on Guantanamo have due process rights. And I thought, what if they bring more aliens to Guantanamo in the future? Shouldn't we have this precedent? But then it was pretty clear that this is about the lives of 235 people.

If we went back to the Supreme Court, we were going to lose the precedent anyway. So we agreed. And they brought them out a couple weeks later on one plane. Harold Coe went to LaGuardia Airport to meet them. We had them being checked in by immigration, and they were wearing bar-coated bracelets like they're a piece of meat in a grocery store.

If we went back to the Supreme Court, we were going to lose the precedent anyway. So we agreed. And they brought them out a couple weeks later on one plane. Harold Coe went to LaGuardia Airport to meet them. We had them being checked in by immigration, and they were wearing bar-coated bracelets like they're a piece of meat in a grocery store.

And suddenly one of the Haitians comes up to me, and he has a piece of paper on which he's written his name. And he points to the barcoded bracelet. He said, this is not my name. And then he holds up the piece of paper. He said, this is my name. This is my name. And there are a couple of letters off. It was spelled wrong.

And suddenly one of the Haitians comes up to me, and he has a piece of paper on which he's written his name. And he points to the barcoded bracelet. He said, this is not my name. And then he holds up the piece of paper. He said, this is my name. This is my name. And there are a couple of letters off. It was spelled wrong.

And then I realized the only reason he had a legal right to be in the United States was because of the court order that we had won. And his name is misspelled in the court order. So if we changed his name, he'd have no legal entitlement to be here. So I went back to him and I said, we can't change it. And he said, why not? And I said, well, this is your Ellis Island.

And then I realized the only reason he had a legal right to be in the United States was because of the court order that we had won. And his name is misspelled in the court order. So if we changed his name, he'd have no legal entitlement to be here. So I went back to him and I said, we can't change it. And he said, why not? And I said, well, this is your Ellis Island.

And then he said, what's your name? And I said, Koh, K-O-H. He said, where'd they give that name to you? And I said, Ellis Island.

And then he said, what's your name? And I said, Koh, K-O-H. He said, where'd they give that name to you? And I said, Ellis Island.

I thought, don't people learn anything? For people who don't think very far ahead, Guantanamo looks like a solution. And then it turns out to be a problem. There is no exit strategy. People who are in a crisis bring people there, and then they can't figure out a way to get them off. Obama said he'd close it within a year.

I thought, don't people learn anything? For people who don't think very far ahead, Guantanamo looks like a solution. And then it turns out to be a problem. There is no exit strategy. People who are in a crisis bring people there, and then they can't figure out a way to get them off. Obama said he'd close it within a year.