Trump Orders Reopening of Infamous Alcatraz Prison

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to reopen and significantly expand Alcatraz, the iconic prison located on an island near San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. Once known as one of America’s toughest maximum-security facilities, Alcatraz has been closed since 1963 and now operates as a popular tourist attraction. Trump’s announcement, made via his Truth Social platform, emphasized a tough-on-crime stance, stating that the U.S. has long suffered under the weight of "vicious, violent, and repeat criminal offenders." Reopening Alcatraz, he said, would symbolize "law, order, and justice."

Trump directed federal agencies including the Bureau of Prisons, Department of Justice, FBI, and Department of Homeland Security to undertake the reopening. He envisions a rebuilt and enlarged Alcatraz to detain the nation’s "most ruthless and violent offenders." This proposal is part of Trump’s broader strategy on crime, which has included controversial policies like sending alleged gang members to foreign prisons, notably a March operation in which over 200 alleged Venezuelan gang members were transferred to a prison in El Salvador. He has also suggested sending U.S. criminals abroad, a policy that has drawn criticism and legal challenges.

Democrats and legal experts have widely criticized Trump’s Alcatraz plan. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose district includes Alcatraz, dismissed the proposal as “not a serious one,” and California state senator Scott Wiener described it as “deeply unhinged” and “an attack on the rule of law.” Legal scholar Professor Gabriel Jack Chin from the University of California, Davis, questioned the practicality of the move. He noted that the federal prison population is already down 25% from its peak and existing facilities have many empty beds, making the reopening of Alcatraz unnecessary. He also cited the prohibitive costs of operating the island-based facility, which the Federal Bureau of Prisons closed in 1963 due to its high expense—nearly three times that of other prisons.

Despite its closure, Alcatraz has remained prominent in American culture. It was originally constructed as a naval defense fort and later converted into a military prison. The Department of Justice took control in the 1930s, and Alcatraz began housing federal inmates. Notable prisoners included gangster Al Capone, crime boss Mickey Cohen, and George “Machine Gun” Kelly. The prison gained additional fame through the 1962 film Birdman of Alcatraz, featuring Robert Stroud, a convicted murderer who became an expert ornithologist while imprisoned. It was also the setting for the 1996 action film The Rock, starring Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage.

Trump’s proposal is seen by critics as a political move to reinforce his tough-on-crime image. However, questions remain over its feasibility, costs, and legal ramifications. The island’s infrastructure would need extensive renovation, and the federal system currently lacks a clear demand for additional prison capacity. Nonetheless, Trump’s plan reflects his continued emphasis on harsh criminal justice policies as part of his broader political agenda.