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Trump's call to reopen Alcatraz falls flat with tourists, who ask: Why and how?

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Trump's call to reopen Alcatraz falls flat with tourists, who ask: Why and how?

The exhibits on Alcatraz Island, the infamous federal prison that decades ago was shuttered and preserved as a national park site and tourist attraction, invite visitors to imagine what it was like to be a guard or an inmate confined to the lonesome, foggy rock in the middle of San Francisco Bay.

But on Monday, a day after President Trump posted on social media that he wants to reopen the nearly century-old prison as a “substantially enlarged and rebuilt ALCATRAZ, to house America’s most ruthless and violent Offenders,” many tourists were imagining a very different role: what it would be like to be the construction manager who might actually have to figure out how to make that happen.

“I’m all for what [Trump] is doing, but this doesn’t make sense,” said Beverly Klir, 63, an ardent Trump supporter who was visiting from Chicago. “I believe Gitmo [the prison at Guantanamo Bay] may be better. That’s where they all belong. They don’t belong here.”

She and her husband were standing amid a riot of pink flowers on the island’s craggy bluffs, looking out at the Golden Gate Bridge as a pair of Canada geese and three fuzzy ducklings waddled by. Behind them loomed the prison, its fortress-like facade menacing in appearance, but also a testament to age and weather, with crumbling stucco, deteriorated masonry and leaking joints.

Higher up on the island, outside the three-story cellhouse where some of the nation’s most incorrigible prisoners were once locked away in primitive cells, 10-year-old Melody Garcia, visiting with family from Concord, appeared equally perplexed. “Most of Alcatraz is broken down and stuff,” she said.

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Still, within hours of Trump’s pronouncement, the Bureau of Prisons released a statement saying it was already on the job.

“The Bureau of Prisons will vigorously pursue all avenues to support and implement the President’s agenda,” said bureau Director William K. Marshall III. “I have ordered an immediate assessment to determine our needs and the next steps. USP Alcatraz has a rich history. We look forward to restoring this powerful symbol of law, order, and justice.”

Many California officials, meanwhile, responded with a range of ridicule and concern. A spokesperson for Gov. Gavin Newsom dismissed the pronouncement as a ploy designed to distract voters from Trump’s actions as president. State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) called it “unhinged.” But he also cautioned that “when Donald Trump says something, he means it,” and speculated that Trump may want to “open a gulag here in the U.S.”

The U.S. government’s presence on Alcatraz began in the 1850s, with construction of a fort bristling with cannons to defend San Francisco from hostile ships.

Soon after, U.S. officials also began using it as a military prison. During the Civil War, the crew of a Confederate ship, along with Union soldiers convicted of rape, murder, desertion and other offenses, were imprisoned there. The U.S. Army also locked up Hope, Apache and Modoc Indians there and, later, conscientious objectors to World War I.

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In 1934, Alcatraz opened as an official federal prison for men who had made escape attempts from other federal prisons, or otherwise misbehaved. Among its notable inmates were Al Capone and George “Machine Gun” Kelly.

Known as “the Rock,” the prison, which had capacity for 336 men, earned a place in popular culture as an island of remote despair. “Everybody wants to be an individual,” said former inmate James Quillen, who served 10 years there, from 1942 to 1952. “You want to be human. And you weren’t at ‘the Rock.’”

In addition to being formidable, the prison was fearsomely expensive to maintain and operate. So expensive, in fact, that in 1963, then-Atty. Gen. Robert F. Kennedy ordered it closed.

John Martini, an Alcatraz historian, said the prison was closed in part because it was built with flawed construction methods and was decaying, and it “would be such a money pit to bring it up to standards … that it was easier to build a new penitentiary.”

Six years later, the island acquired a prominent place in Native American history when a group of Native American activists landed on the island, declaring they were taking it in the name of “Indians of All Tribes.” The occupation lasted 19 months, and helped awaken the nation to the concerns of Indigenous Americans.

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When federal agents moved in to remove the last occupiers in 1971, officials had plans to bulldoze the entire thing. But in 1972, Congress created the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and the island instead became one of San Francisco’s most beloved attractions. More than 1.4 million people visit each year, walking through the dank cell blocks and taking in exhibits on the Native American occupation.

In calling for Alcatraz to be reopened, Trump said its restoration would “serve as a symbol of law, order, and justice.”

But the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, a nonprofit that helps preserve and support operations at Alcatraz, issued a statement Monday saying the prison’s stature as a historic landmark and educational destination already serves an important role.

“Alcatraz hasn’t been a working prison for over 60 years,” the organization said in its statement. “Today, it’s a powerful symbol — a National Historic Landmark preserved for all time, a transformative national park experience and global site of reflection. … This is where history speaks — and where we learn from the past to shape a better future. “

John Kostelnik, western regional vice president of the Council of Prison Locals 33, said the idea of reopening Alcatraz was not only an “irresponsible” use of federal money but also a slap in the face to prison guards, who have long complained about low wages.

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“It just seems very hypocritical that they came in and said they’re going to make government more efficient and DOGE and all that stuff,” Kostelnik said, using the acronym for Elon Musk’s cost-cutting team, “and now they’re saying they’re gonna throw hundreds of millions of dollars at a symbol.”

In December, the Bureau of Prisons said it was closing its troubled federal prison in Dublin, Calif., about 30 miles east of San Francisco, as well as five minimum-security prison camps in states from Florida to Colorado. The bureau said in a document obtained by the Associated Press that it was closing the facilities to address “significant challenges, including a critical staffing shortage, crumbling infrastructure and limited budgetary resources.”

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie’s office directed inquiries about the Alcatraz proposal to the National Park Service, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Tourists roaming the island Monday seemed preoccupied with two questions: How and why?

“It’s not ready. It is in no way, shape or form ready,” said Daniel Mulvad, 24, who lives in San Francisco and was visiting with guests from out of town. He noted that the costs of renovating the structure would be astronomical and seemed senseless given that, as a tourist attraction, Alcatraz appeared to be generating a great deal of revenue through ticket sales and merchandise.

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“You’d have to really … rewire,” said Alyssa Sibley, 26, of Sacramento, as she stood in the old shower room, staring at the crude and rusting bathroom fixtures.

Tumidei Valentin, 34, a French psychologist vacationing in California, decried it as a “terrible idea.” “Every day he has new ideas,” Valentin said of Trump, most of them “to make a buzz” and get attention.

Kristin Nichols, 60, of Palm Springs, who was visiting with family, said that as someone who is part Chickasaw she was particularly moved by the exhibits about the Native American occupation.

“The amount of money it would take to do this…” she said. “I would question the purpose.”

She added: “It’s a historic place, and if they turn it back into a prison, it’s going to ruin all the history.”

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Gabbard says Comey should be 'put behind bars' after picture allegedly 'issuing a call to assassinate' Trump

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Gabbard says Comey should be 'put behind bars' after picture allegedly 'issuing a call to assassinate' Trump

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said ex-FBI Director James Comey should be “put behind bars” for a post he made on Instagram on Thursday allegedly “issuing a call to assassinate [President Donald Trump.]”

Earlier on Thursday, Comey shared a picture on Instagram with seashells formed in the numbers “86 47.” To some, the number “86” is a call sign for murdering or getting rid of someone or something and “47” is typically used to refer to the 47th President of the United States.

“Cool shell formation on my beach walk…,” Comey wrote in the caption of the picture, which has since been deleted.

Gabbard made the comments on “Jesse Watters Primetime” Thursday night after Comey said he wasn’t aware that the number “86” stands for some sort of violence.

EX-FBI CHIEF COMEY’S ‘86 47’ SOCIAL MEDIA POST CONDEMNED BY WHITE HOUSE AS ATTEMPT TO PUT ‘HIT’ ON PRESIDENT

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National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard said ex-FBI Director James Comey should be in jail for posting an Instagram photo of the numbers “86 47,” which has been interpreted as a threat to Trump. (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

“I posted earlier a picture of some shells I saw today on a beach walk, which I assumed were a political message,” Comey said after deleting the initial picture. “I didn’t realize some folks associate those numbers with violence. It never occurred to me but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down.” 

Gabbard said Comey and his people “need to be held to account according to the law” regardless of why he said he posted the picture.

“The rule of law says people like him who issue direct threats against the POTUS, essentially issuing a call to assassinate him, must be held accountable under the law,” Gabbard said, adding that she thinks he should be in jail.

Ex-FBI Director James Comey posted an Instagram photo of seashells arranged in the numbers "86 47" – which has been interpreted as a threat on President Donald Trump's life.

Ex-FBI Director James Comey posted an Instagram photo of seashells arranged in the numbers “86 47” – which has been interpreted as a threat on President Donald Trump’s life. (AP)

The national intelligence director said Comey’s post has her “very concerned for [the president’s life.]”

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“I’m very concerned for the president’s life; we’ve already seen assassination attempts. I’m very concerned for his life and James Comey, in my view, should be held accountable and put behind bars for this,” she said.

‘NEVER TRUMPER’ COMEY’S ’86 47′ TRUMP POST UNDER INVESTIGATION

Gabbard also said Comey has a lot of influence and that there are “people who take [him] very seriously.”

Shortly after Comey removed the post, Fox News Digital learned from a Secret Service source that the agency was aware of the incident and agents are being sent to investigate and interview Comey.

The White House also condemned Comey’s actions, with White House deputy chief of staff and Cabinet Secretary Taylor Budowich calling his post “deeply concerning.”

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“While President Trump is currently on an international trip to the Middle East, the former FBI Director puts out what can clearly be interpreted as ‘a hit’ on the sitting President of the United States — a message etched in the sand,” Budowich wrote on X. “This is deeply concerning to all of us and is being taken seriously.”

 

Comey, who led the FBI during Trump’s first term before he was fired from the spot, had no comment when reached by Fox News Digital earlier on Thursday.

Fox News Digital’s Alec Schemmel and David Spunt contributed to this report.

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Justices skeptical of Trump plan to limit birthright citizenship but also injunctions that block it

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Justices skeptical of Trump plan to limit birthright citizenship but also injunctions that block it

The Supreme Court gave a skeptical hearing Thursday to a lawyer for President Trump who was appealing rulings that blocked his plan to deny citizenship to newborns whose parents were in this country illegally or temporarily.

None of the justices spoke in favor of Trump’s plan to restrict birthright citizenship, and several were openly skeptical.

“Every court is ruling against you,” Justice Elena Kagan said. “There’s not going to be a lot of disagreement on this.”

If his plan were to take effect, “thousands of children will be born and rendered stateless,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor said.

But Thursday’s hearing was devoted to a procedural question raised by the administration: Can a single federal judge issue a nationwide order to block the president’s plan?

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Shortly after Trump issued his executive order to limit birthright citizenship, federal judges in Maryland, Massachusetts and Washington state declared it unconstitutional and blocked its enforcement nationwide.

In response, Trump’s lawyers asked the court to rein in the “epidemic” of nationwide orders handed down by district judges.

It’s an issue that has divided the court and bedeviled both Democratic and Republican administrations.

Trump’s lawyers argued that on procedural grounds, the judges overstepped their authority. But it is also procedurally unusual for a president to try to revise the Constitution through an executive order.

Thursday’s hearing did not appear to yield a consensus on what to do.

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Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh said the plaintiffs should be required to bring a class-action claim if they want to win a broad ruling. But others said that would lead to delays and not solve the problem.

Justice Neil M. Gorsuch said he was looking for a way to decide quickly. “How do we get to the merits expeditiously?” he asked.

One possibility was to have the court ask for further briefing and perhaps a second hearing to decide the fundamental question: Can Trump acting on his own revise the long-standing interpretation of the 14th Amendment?

Shortly after the Civil War, the Reconstruction Congress wrote the 14th Amendment, which begins with the words: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.”

Before that, Americans were citizens of their states. Moreover, the Supreme Court in the infamous Dred Scott decision said Black people were not citizens of their states and could not become citizens even if they were living in a free state.

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The amended Constitution established U.S. citizenship as a birthright. The only persons not “subject to the jurisdiction” of the laws of the United States were foreign diplomats and their families and, in the 19th century, Indians who were “not taxed” and were treated as citizens of their tribal nations.

However, Congress changed that rule in 1924 and extended birthright citizenship to Native Americans.

Since 1898, the Supreme Court has agreed that birthright citizenship extends to the native-born children of foreign migrants living in this country. The court said then that “the fundamental rule of citizenship by birth, notwithstanding the alienage of parents” had been established by law.

The decision affirmed the citizenship of Wong Kim Ark, who was born in San Francisco in 1873 to Chinese parents who were living and working there, but who were not U.S. citizens.

But several conservative law professors dispute the notion that the phrase “subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States means simply that people living here are subject to the laws here.

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Instead, they say it refers more narrowly to people who owe their undivided allegiance to this country. If so, they contend it does not extend broadly to illegal immigrants or to students and tourists who are here temporarily.

On Jan. 20, Trump issued an executive order proclaiming the 14th Amendment does not “extend citizenship universally to everyone born within the United States.” He said it would be U.S. policy to not recognize citizenship for newborns if the child’s mother or father was “not a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident at the time of said person’s birth.”

Immigrants rights groups sued on behalf of several pregnant women, and they were joined by 22 states and several cities.

Judges wasted no time in declaring Trump’s order unconstitutional. They said his proposed restrictions violated the federal law and Supreme Court precedent as well as the plain words of the 14th Amendment.

In mid-March, Trump’s lawyers sent an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court with “a modest request.” Rather than decide the “important constitutional questions” involving birthright citizenship, they urged the justices to rein in the practice of district judges handing down nationwide orders.

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They have “reached epidemic proportions since the start of the current administration,” they said.

A month later, and without further explanation, the court agreed to hear arguments based on that request.

Solicitor Gen. D. John Sauer struggled to explain how judges should proceed when faced with a government policy that would be unconstitutional and harm an untold number of people. Is it wise or realistic to insist that thousands of people sign on to lawsuits? the justices asked.

He also had a hard time explaining how such a new policy would be enforced.

“How’s it going to work? What do hospitals do with a newborn?” Kavanaugh asked. “What do states do with a newborn?”

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“Federal officials will have to figure that out, essentially,” Sauer replied, noting that Trump’s order, if upheld, would not take effect for 30 days.

California joined 21 other states in suing successfully to block Trump’s order, but California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta said it was important those rulings apply nationwide.

“The rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution belong to everyone in this country — not just those born in states whose attorneys general have stood up to challenge the president’s unlawful executive order. It’s clear that a nationwide injunction is not only appropriate here to avoid devastating harm to the states and their residents, but is also directly aligned with prior Supreme Court precedent,” Bonta said after Thursday’s argument.

The justices are likely to hand down a full opinion in Trump vs. CASA, but it may not come until late June.

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Video: Ben and Jerry’s Founder Arrested at Kennedy’s Senate Hearing

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Video: Ben and Jerry’s Founder Arrested at Kennedy’s Senate Hearing

new video loaded: Ben and Jerry’s Founder Arrested at Kennedy’s Senate Hearing

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Ben and Jerry’s Founder Arrested at Kennedy’s Senate Hearing

Ben Cohen, a co-founder of the ice cream brand Ben and Jerry’s, was among a group of protesters that interrupted a Senate committee hearing to protest Congress’s funding for Israel’s military as it wages war against Hamas in Gaza.

I’m presenting today supports these goals and reflects — [protesters shouting] The witness will suspend. The committee will come to order. Members of the audience are reminded disruptions will not be permitted while the committee conducts its business. Capitol Police are asked to remove the individuals from the hearing room.

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