# Letters: Dublin women’s prison shouldn’t become ICE facility > Source: > Published: 2026-06-02 23:30:09+00:00 **Getting your** [Trinity Audio](//trinityaudio.ai)player ready...**Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.** #### Dublin prison shouldn’t become ICE facility Re: “[Report lays out problems at closed women’s prison that may be targeted for a detention facility](https://www.mercurynews.com/2026/05/14/bay-area-dublin-prison-immigration-facility/)” (Page A1, May 15). I’m a 53-year resident of the East Bay, one of the greatest areas in the country. I cherish our vibrant and diverse communities, with our intermingled cultures. The current racist, violent, evil and harmful policies of the Trump administration, along with the masked bullies and miscreants in ICE uniforms, are intolerable in a free society. There is no room for masked terrorists intimidating and kidnapping innocent, decent human beings. Our immigrant populations are integral to the fabric of the amazing Bay Area. No one should be singled out for punishment or mistreatment based upon their race, ethnicity, country of origin, political views or religion. That is what ICE is doing. When anyone lives in fear, no one is free. I say an unconditional “no” to the construction of any ICE facilities, particularly on the site of the infamous Dublin federal women’s prison. **Greg Fite** *Hayward* #### Site wasn’t abandoned; it was contaminated Re: “[Development plans for naval site clear hurdle](https://www.mercurynews.com/2026/05/27/massive-housing-development-plans-for-concord-naval-weapons-station-clears-latest-hurdle/)” (Page A1, May 28). The Concord Naval Weapons Station has not sat abandoned for decades as asserted in your article. It is a [superfund site](https://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0902778). Navy officials and environmental regulators needed all those decades to search for and attempt to clean toxic chemicals and old munitions left behind by military use. This cleanup continues, and the Navy continues to find previously undiscovered toxins to clean, as well as at least one building that was found to be recontaminated after cleaning, even as the city of Concord readies to receive land nearby. Any discussion downplaying superfund status is irresponsible. The Bay Area has experience with complications arising from toxins in other closed military facilities, and we all need to understand the necessity of addressing inevitable development delays from the cleanup required to maintain the safety of nearby and future residents. **Hope Johnson** *Concord* #### Key to Mideast peace is still Palestinian situation Re: “[Trump: Iran deal should include more countries joining Abraham Accords](https://apnews.com/article/iran-deal-trump-israel-abrams-01a13e9a63ece786a0a7fa4933dbf09b)” (May 26, Page A4). President Donald Trump urged Middle Eastern states to conclude the Abraham Accords. The Palestinians and Arab states indicate that such a step should be taken once the two-state solution takes shape. This means, namely, the beginning of the process of a peaceful settlement between Israel and the Palestinians in the Holy Land. That must lead to the Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian Territories and the beginning of the functioning of the Palestinian state. In order for the establishment of peace and justice in the Holy Land, the United Nations Security Council must be involved to ensure the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Palestinian Territories and to move forward to establish permanent peace between all the Arab states, including Palestine and Israel, which must include diplomatic and economic relations. Let us end wars and work for true peace and justice. **Amer Araim** *Walnut Creek* #### DOJ must answer to the American people Re: “[DOJ scrubs site of releases about Jan. 6 defendants](https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-capitol-riot-news-releases-purged-29c580044a9ed27b643c99feac9e2964)” (Page A4, May 24). Despite Donald Trump’s efforts to erase the facts of his 2021 attempted coup, he does not have the legal authority to change court records. Perhaps worse is his attempt to rob taxpayers for a $1.776 billion slush fund to pay off convicted criminals for attacking and defacing our nation’s Capitol. The Constitution empowers a president to “grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.” This is a stain on our democracy. America needs an ombudsperson to stand up for citizens and voters when the federal DOJ is corrupt and acts against the public interest. **Chris Conrad** *El Sobrante* #### Ending 580 truck ban threatens residents The effort to remove the ban on big rigs from Highway 580 is marching forward. Lifting the ban will increase pollution, noise and traffic, and it will lower the quality of life in Oakland, San Leandro and nearby unincorporated communities. We are talking about tens of thousands of adults and children who live, work and go to school within a few hundred yards of this major artery. More importantly, we find that we are at the mercy of entities and organizations that do not live in the area, but perceive they will benefit from removing this ban, either financially or by reduced pollution in their own neighborhoods. Removing the truck ban from Highway 580 will result in adding another multilane road to encourage more traffic, more air pollution and more noise. It will just spread the misery around for all residents, and no one will benefit except the big rig. **Dean Valavanis** *Oakland* #### State’s gas mandates drive unaffordability Gov. Newsom seems to prioritize raising his national political profile by sparring with Donald Trump and Ted Cruz rather than addressing why Californians still pay some of the highest gas prices in America. When Newsom blames oil companies, he ignores the obvious question: If corporate greed is the problem, why is gas consistently cheaper in most other states? California’s specific fuel mandates, refinery regulations and taxes have reduced supply and increased costs. We’ve made refining fuel here more difficult, shut down capacity and then act surprised when prices spike. We’re told these costs are necessary for cleaner air. But Californians deserve to ask: Is Los Angeles’ air so much cleaner than Dallas’ that it justifies paying substantially more at the pump year after year? Electric vehicles will eventually become the norm. Until then, working families shouldn’t have to pay what feels like a Berkeley environmentalist tax every time they fill up. **Jose F. Palafox** *Pittsburg*