Nearly twelve years have passed since the first prisoner arrived in Guantánamo Bay, making it the longest-standing war prison in U.S. history. Today the prison holds 164 detainees, and it is no less a symbol of our nation’s failure to adhere to the rule of law and human rights than it was in 2002 when it first began housing prisoners.

The ACLU has consistently called for the closing of Guantánamo Bay, and we’ve had no trouble coming up with reasons why. By relying on unconstitutional and secretive military commissions to try some of the most important cases in our nation’s history we have betrayed American values. By perpetuating the tragedy of indefinite detention for prisoners and their families – including many who have been cleared for release for years yet remain imprisoned – we have undermined our standing around the world.

In addition to all the moral and legal arguments in favor of closing Guantánamo Bay, there is another consideration: the staggering economic cost. Recently we have learned that maintaining the prison at Guantánamo has cost the American taxpayer $4.8 billion since it opened in 2002, and an average of $493 million every year for the last five years. This year we are spending $3 million per detainee at Guantánamo Bay.

Check out the new ACLU infographic to put these numbers into perspective. Think about what the military could do if the money being wasted on Guantánamo Bay was instead used to reverse cuts to vital programs for veterans, service members, and their families. The time has long come to close the prison at Guantánamo Bay, and along with it a very sad chapter in American history.