AG Pam Bondi in San Francisco visiting Alcatraz to announce Trump admin’s reopening plans as Nancy Pelosi blasts ‘stupidest’ thought

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — U.S. Legal professional Basic Pam Bondi and Inside Secretary Doug Burgum are within the Bay Space and visited Alcatraz Thursday morning as a part of the controversial plan to reopen the federal penitentiary.

Again in Could, President Trump began speaking about reopening the location as a federal jail.

Congress is anticipated to introduce a invoice to finish environmental protections for Alcatraz and take away the Nationwide Park Service’s management of the location.

RELATED: Trump says he’ll reopen infamous Alcatraz jail in San Francisco

The plan has been getting pushback for the reason that Trump Administration introduced it, with critics calling it too costly and a political stunt.

On Wednesday, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi known as it “the stupidest initiative but.”

Video from ABC7 Information Bay Space’s helicopter reveals Bondi and Burgum touring Alcatraz.

ABC Information is reporting that the officers solely invited a Fox Information digicam alongside for the go to and it’s nonetheless unclear precisely what they’re asserting.

Alcatraz at the moment generates about $60 million in annual income, in keeping with the Nationwide Park Service.

Refurbishing the island and constructing a brand new jail would price a minimum of 1 / 4 of a billion {dollars}, in keeping with estimates.

MORE: Vacationers, politicians and former inmate pontificate on Trump’s proposal to reopen Alcatraz as a jail

“They closed Alcatraz due to the fee,” Pelosi informed ABC7 Information Bay Space. “And now, not solely would they’ve the price of operating it, they’ve the billions of {dollars} that it’s going to take to show it again into a jail. So it is actually economically unfeasible, and in the event that they wish to spend cash on prisons and public security, there are different areas that they’ll do it.”

The proposal is getting robust reactions from different leaders.

California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Press Workplace issued an announcement saying, “Pam Bondi will reopen Alcatraz the identical day Trump lets her launch the Epstein information. So… by no means.”

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie issued an announcement saying, “There is no sensible plan to make Alcatraz reopen as something apart from the fantastic vacationer attraction that it at the moment is.”

ABC7 Information Bay Space Insider Phil Matier weighed in on the plans and go to.

“He needs to make an announcement about being powerful on crime,” Matier mentioned. “He mentioned Alcatraz labored, however in its day. It is time to deliver it again as a way to counter city crime. However this, make no mistake. It is a photograph op. It is a publicity stunt. It is a tour as a way to seize the picture of them in San Francisco on Alcatraz, declaring that Donald Trump is hard on crime, so powerful that he’ll reopen The Rock… It is now just about like an outdated historic citadel on the market that vacationers go to,” Matier mentioned. “Turning it right into a federal penitentiary goes to take some huge cash after which working. It may take some huge cash, however planning for it and exhibiting drawings and making an announcement about it. That is lots cheaper, and that is what we’re seeing proper now.”