President Barack Obama wants to close the controversial jail in Cuba, set up during the "war on terror" in 2002. It is being used to detain what Washington calls "enemy combatants", following the 11 September 2001 attacks in the US.
The first 20 detainees were transferred to the facility on 11 January 2002, and a total of 780 men have been held since then - the vast majority without charge or criminal trial.
Restrictions tightened
Mr Carter recently notified Congress about the planned transfer of 17 lower-level detainees, officials familiar with internal deliberations were quoted as saying by the New York Times newspaper.
Separately, a senior US defence official told the AFP news agency: "We found homes for the 17 [detainees]", adding that several countries had agreed to take them in. All the officials spoke on the condition of anonymity.
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