The White House says it is currently unable to fulfil President Barack Obama's pledge to close the controversial military prison at Guantanamo Bay in south-eastern tip.
During his presidential campaign in 2008, Mr Obama promised to close the prison within a year of taking office.
But his efforts to do so, the ABC reports, have faltered, as allies baulk at taking in higher-risk inmates and prosecutions bog down in a legal quagmire.
"It's certainly not going to close in the next month," White House spokesperson Robert Gibbs told CNN. "I think it's going to be a while before that prison closes.
"Obviously there are prohibitions on the transfer of some of the prisoners that are there into some part of this country."
Only three of the remaining 174 detainees at the prison have been formally tried and found guilty.
Dozens have been cleared but no foreign ally will accept them and there is strong American opposition to any being allowed on US soil.
