Latest news with #AlligatorAlcatraz
Sky News AU
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Donald Trump rips 'luxury hotels' for migrants while US citizens are 'living from hand to mouth'
President Donald Trump on Tuesday criticized spending taxpayer money to house migrants in "luxury hotels" while others continue to struggle to afford necessities. Trump was traveling back to the United States after a four-day trip to Scotland when he was asked about mass migration to the United Kingdom. A reporter pointed out that many in the U.K. have taken issue with housing migrants in hotels at the expense of taxpayers while their asylum claims are being processed and asked whether Britain needs its own "Alligator Alcatraz." It was a reference to Florida's illegal immigrant detention center on a 30-square-mile property in the Everglades' swamplands. "They're putting people in luxury hotels and other people that are working their a---- off are living from hand to mouth. They're not living the same way," Trump said aboard Air Force One. "I've looked at some of the hotels they're using." Trump noted that illegal immigrants in some parts of the U.S. have also been housed in hotels. "They put them in like the best hotels anywhere in the world," he said. "Thousands of dollars a night, and other people are living out in the streets, including our veterans. They can't get a room. "There are pictures of our veterans staying right by the door where they're walking in to live, and the veterans are sitting out in the sidewalk in front of a fancy hotel. And the illegals are coming into that hotel and staying for a week," he added. "That's no good." In 2023, Fox News reported that claims that homeless veterans were displaced at hotels in upstate New York were false. However, that same year in Massachusetts, military families who booked rooms in Foxboro, Massachusetts, the site of the 124th Army-Navy football Game at Gillette Stadium, received cancellation notices from hotels that were being used by the state to house migrants. In June, the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan, which served as one of the main migrant shelters in the city, closed its doors. The converted site, which has around 1,000 rooms, processed more than 173,000 migrants since its opening in May 2023, the city said. The hotel was linked to gang activity, and the Justice Department in May launched a probe into the Roosevelt, which is owned by the government of Pakistan, and the Stewart Hotel, which was also transformed into a migrant shelter. New York City taxpayers have forked out billions of dollars to pay for housing for more than 232,000 migrants who have arrived in the city since the spring of 2022. Originally published as Donald Trump rips 'luxury hotels' for migrants while US citizens are 'living from hand to mouth'
Toronto Star
a day ago
- Politics
- Toronto Star
Judge considers whether ‘Alligator Alcatraz' challenge was filed in wrong venue
MIAMI (AP) — A legal challenge to a hastily-built immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades was filed in the wrong venue, government attorneys argued Wednesday in the first of two hearings over the legality of 'Alligator Alcatraz' in a lawsuit brought by environmental groups. Even though the property is owned by Miami-Dade County, Florida's southern district is the wrong venue for the federal lawsuit by environmental groups since the detention center is located in neighboring Collier County, which is in the state's middle district, according to government arguments.
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Judge considers whether ‘Alligator Alcatraz' challenge was filed in wrong venue
MIAMI (AP) — A legal challenge to a hastily-built immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades was filed in the wrong venue, government attorneys argued Wednesday in the first of two hearings over the legality of 'Alligator Alcatraz' in a lawsuit brought by environmental groups. Even though the property is owned by Miami-Dade County, Florida's southern district is the wrong venue for the federal lawsuit by environmental groups since the detention center is located in neighboring Collier County, which is in the state's middle district, according to government arguments. Any decision by U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams in Miami about whether to move the case could also influence a separate lawsuit brought by civil rights advocates who say that detainees at 'Alligator Alcatraz' have been denied access to attorneys and immigration courts. The federal and state government defendants in the civil rights case also argue that the lawsuit was filed in the wrong venue. At the request of a judge, the civil rights groups on Tuesday filed a revised class-action complaint arguing that the detainees' constitutional rights were being violated. Environmental groups filed their lawsuit against federal and state officials in Florida's southern district last month, asking for the project being built on an airstrip in the heart of the Florida Everglades to be halted because the process didn't follow state and federal environmental laws. Besides Wednesday's hearing over venue, a second hearing has been scheduled for next week on the environmental groups' request for temporary injunction. The first of hundreds of detainees arrived a few days after the lawsuit was filed, and the facility has the capacity to hold 3,000 people. The detention center was opened by Florida officials, but critics said it's unclear whether federal immigration officials or state officials are calling the shots. Deportation flights from 'Alligator Alcatraz' started last week. Williams on Monday ordered that any agreements be produced in court between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Florida Department of Emergency Management, a move that could shed some light on the relationship between federal and state agencies in running the facility. Critics have condemned the facility as a cruel and inhumane, as well as a threat to the ecologically sensitive wetlands, while Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other Republican state officials have defended it as part of the state's aggressive push to support President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration. ___ Follow Mike Schneider on the social platform Bluesky: @
Hamilton Spectator
a day ago
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Judge considers whether ‘Alligator Alcatraz' challenge was filed in wrong venue
MIAMI (AP) — A legal challenge to a hastily-built immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades was filed in the wrong venue, government attorneys argued Wednesday in the first of two hearings over the legality of 'Alligator Alcatraz' in a lawsuit brought by environmental groups. Even though the property is owned by Miami-Dade County, Florida's southern district is the wrong venue for the federal lawsuit by environmental groups since the detention center is located in neighboring Collier County, which is in the state's middle district, according to government arguments. Any decision by U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams in Miami about whether to move the case could also influence a separate lawsuit brought by civil rights advocates who say that detainees at 'Alligator Alcatraz' have been denied access to attorneys and immigration courts. The federal and state government defendants in the civil rights case also argue that the lawsuit was filed in the wrong venue. At the request of a judge, the civil rights groups on Tuesday filed a revised class-action complaint arguing that the detainees' constitutional rights were being violated. Environmental groups filed their lawsuit against federal and state officials in Florida's southern district last month, asking for the project being built on an airstrip in the heart of the Florida Everglades to be halted because the process didn't follow state and federal environmental laws. Besides Wednesday's hearing over venue, a second hearing has been scheduled for next week on the environmental groups' request for temporary injunction. The first of hundreds of detainees arrived a few days after the lawsuit was filed, and the facility has the capacity to hold 3,000 people. The detention center was opened by Florida officials, but critics said it's unclear whether federal immigration officials or state officials are calling the shots. Deportation flights from 'Alligator Alcatraz' started last week. Williams on Monday ordered that any agreements be produced in court between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Florida Department of Emergency Management, a move that could shed some light on the relationship between federal and state agencies in running the facility. Critics have condemned the facility as a cruel and inhumane, as well as a threat to the ecologically sensitive wetlands, while Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other Republican state officials have defended it as part of the state's aggressive push to support President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration . ___ Follow Mike Schneider on the social platform Bluesky: @ Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Washington Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
DHS is posting Americana paintings and migrant mugshots. The art world is not happy.
The Department of Homeland Security's social media feed in early July was largely filled with images of 'Alligator Alcatraz' and promises to 'MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN' by deporting the 'WORST OF THE WORST.' Then the agency shared an image of Thomas Kinkade's 'Morning Pledge,' a painting depicting children walking to a schoolhouse where an American flag towers in the yard. 'Protect the Homeland,' DHS wrote. The American artist died in 2012, but when his family saw how his work was being used by the Trump administration, they were aghast. Kinkade was deeply committed to humanitarian causes, a spokesperson for the Kinkade Family Foundation told The Washington Post, and made paintings that offered a sense of dignity and hope, especially to those denied basic human rights. That felt starkly in contrast with DHS's mass deportation campaign and its social media account depicting immigrants as criminals. 'Like many of you, we were deeply troubled to see this image used to promote division and xenophobia associated with the ideals of DHS, as this is antithetical to our mission,' the foundation said in a statement it posted online. 'We stand firmly with our communities who have been threatened and targeted by DHS.' The painting was one of three that DHS posted on social media in July depicting idealized images of American life. The others include 19th-century painter John Gast's controversial 'American Progress' and contemporary artist Morgan Weistling's 'A Prayer for a New Life.' Weistling, the only of the artists still alive, has also spoken out against DHS's use of his painting. The images, bookended by posts cheering the administration's deportation campaign, have been widely shared by conservatives and sparked alarm among the artists, their families and some historians, who see their use as part of an effort to rewrite the past with an exclusionary view of American history. 'There's one side that's being presented as irredeemable criminals with no shade of gray allowed in, so people shouldn't have any reservation about the treatment of these people or use of very punitive measures because it's a caricature,' said Natalia Banulescu-Bogdan, deputy director of the international program at the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute. 'Then, on the other side, here are the heroes.' Tricia McLaughlin, a Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman, said the agency is honoring artwork that 'celebrates America's heritage and history.' 'If the media needs a history lesson on the brave men and women who blazed the trails and forged this republic from the sweat of their brow, we are happy to send them a history textbook,' she added. 'This administration is unapologetically proud of American history and American heritage.' As of Tuesday morning, the Gast post had 16.7 million views on X, the Weistling post had 19.3 million views, and the Kinkade post had 16.8 million views. The paintings have been shared by far-right activist Jack Posobiec; right-wing podcaster Benny Johnson; former GOP representatives Matt Gaetz (Florida), Madison Cawthorn (North Carolina) and Mayra Flores (Texas); the Nevada GOP; and others. 'Beautiful,' Johnson wrote as he shared the Kinkade post. The use of the paintings in official government communications comes amid a broader effort by the Trump administration to reshape the country's arts and cultural landscape. That has included a major overhaul of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, drastic cuts at the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, and a March executive order to 'restore the Smithsonian Institution to its rightful place as a symbol of inspiration and American greatness.' DHS's social media feed is showcasing work by American artists — while also sending chilling and at times mocking messages to undocumented immigrants. The agency recently posted a meme of a skeleton lifting a barbell with the message: 'My body is a machine that turns ICE funding into mass deportations.' The account also posted an image of alligators wearing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement hats with the caption 'Coming soon,' as it teased the arrival of 'Alligator Alcatraz,' the detention facility Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) ordered constructed in the Everglades. Earlier this year, the White House posted a video of migrants shackled before boarding a deportation flight, captioned with: 'ASMR: Illegal Alien Deportation Flight.' DHS posted Kinkade's 'Morning Pledge' on July 1. Much of Kinkade's work is centered around themes of home, family and religion, and it has appealed to and been associated with conservative values. But the Kinkade Family Foundation, which preserves and promotes the painter's archives and charitable giving, said it did not authorize the use of his artwork and sent a cease-and-desist letter to DHS after learning it had used the image. A spokesperson for the artist's foundation said Kinkade's intent with the painting was to express his desire for a place where 'basic human rights are granted regardless of where we come from or who we may be.' Online, the organization shared a message stating its support for those targeted by DHS, 'especially our immigrant, BIPOC, undocumented, LGBTQ+, and disabled relatives and neighbors.' The foundation said it made multiple attempts to reach out to the agency, which still had not responded as of Monday. DHS did not respond to the Kinkade family's complaints in its statement to The Post. Two weeks after sharing that painting, DHS posted one by Weistling depicting a couple holding a baby with a wagon in the background, along with the caption 'Remember your Homeland's Heritage.' The agency said the painting was titled a 'New Life in a New Land,' though its actual name is 'A Prayer for a New Life.' Weistling's website said the 2020 painting portrays two parents praying to God for the baby's 'fragile life on their perilous journey.' Weistling did not respond to an interview request. But on his official website, he posted: 'Attention: The recent DHS post on social media using a painting of mine that I painted a few years ago was used without my permission.' Then, on Wednesday, DHS shared an image of John Gast's 'American Progress,' along with the caption: 'A Heritage to be proud of, a Homeland worth Defending.' The 1872 painting features an ethereal woman in white robes floating westward across an American landscape as she carries a schoolbook and unspools a telegraph wire. As she moves westward, Native Americans and wild buffalo appear to flee at her sight into a darkened frontier as White settlers move in — bathed in sunlight. Martha Sandweiss, a history professor at Princeton University, said the painting was originally commissioned to be used as an illustration in a popular western guidebook and later became known as an image that illustrated the concept of 'Manifest Destiny' in American history textbooks. The doctrine argued that the nation had a God-given responsibility to expand its footprint. Such ideas were popular at the time, Sandweiss said, and used as a type of propaganda to encourage people to travel west and settle. 'That the Department of Homeland Security is using the picture for this purpose is so ironic,' Sandweiss said. 'This is an image that's about the invasion of homelands. When we look at this picture, we're in the homeland, the imagined homeland of many, many Native tribes. … This is not an American homeland that we're looking at to be defended; this is an American invasion of other people's homelands.' For some Native American activists and advocacy groups, the posts from the agency, led by Secretary Kristi L. Noem, underscores long-standing tensions between Indigenous communities and federal law enforcement. 'It doesn't surprise me that Homeland Security would do this,' said Cris Stainbrook, former president of the Indian Land Tenure Foundation, which works with Native nations to recover their homelands. He said that when Noem was governor she 'pretty much embodied the Gast side of how you'd look at Manifest Destiny.' He cited her dispute with Native tribes who resisted her attempts to dismantle travel checkpoints they had set up during the coronavirus pandemic. More broadly, Stainbrook said, much of 19th-century visual art painted a one-sided, sanitized version of U.S. history, while omitting the destruction of Native communities. 'Only in the last 50 to 60 years have you really seen Native artists come out and do a much more accurate portrayal,' he said, but those works still do not reach the public in the way that Euro-American art and media do. Banulescu-Bogdan, of the Migration Policy Institute, described the use of the paintings as a 'classic technique of nationalism' because they seek to 'invoke the mythology of a shared past.' The contrast of the paintings with the images on DHS's social media feeds showing immigrants accused of violent crimes seeks to evoke a 'good vs. evil' image, she said. In doing so, the agency is probably seeking to target Trump's supporters, rather than posting more traditional public service announcements on government accounts. 'There's this reification of true Americans, the use of this very identifiable Americana, these classic paintings that harken back to a sort of post-Depression time of Americans reinventing themselves and engaging in nation-building,' Banulescu-Bogdan said. Alex Conant, a Republican strategist, said DHS does have a history of experimenting with its social media accounts, citing the Transportation Security Administration, which is part of the agency, as an example. TSA has leaned into humor while sharing images of unexpected items confiscated from passenger bags. But he added that the Trump administration is seeking to use government to advance its message. 'Clearly this administration's filled with MAGA true believers in the way the first one wasn't, and I think the sort of communicating on social media just becomes fluent to the staffers throughout the administration,' he said. 'This administration feels empowered and emboldened to not be constrained by norms and precedents.' Clara Ence Morse contributed to this report.
