Donald Trump has announced that he is instructing his administration to reopen and expand Alcatraz, the notorious former prison on an island near San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, President Trump remarked that “for too long, America has been plagued by vicious, violent, and repeat criminal offenders.”
According to his statement, the reopening of Alcatraz, historically recognised as one of the most formidable prisons in the United States, is poised to represent a “symbol of law, order, and justice. “
Prominent Democrats have characterized the proposal as lacking seriousness. The maximum-security facility famously referred to as The Rock ceased operations in 1963 and has since transformed into a thriving tourist destination.
“Today, I am directing the Bureau of Prisons, in collaboration with the Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security, to initiate the reopening of a significantly expanded and renovated ALCATRAZ,” Trump stated.
The facility is set to accommodate the nation’s most dangerous and violent offenders.
President Trump is engaged in a contentious battle with the judiciary regarding his controversial policy of deporting suspected gang members to a prison in El Salvador. In March, a contingent of over 200 individuals, purportedly linked to Venezuelan gangs, was dispatched to the area. He has also discussed the possibility of transferring “homegrown criminals” to prisons abroad.
Originally constructed as a naval defense fort, Alcatraz underwent significant reconstruction in the early 20th century to serve as a military prison. In the 1930s, the Department of Justice assumed control, leading to the intake of convicts from the federal prison system. The prison housed several infamous inmates, including gangsters like Al Capone, Mickey Cohen, and George “Machine Gun” Kelly.
The prison gained notoriety through the 1962 film, Birdman of Alcatraz, featuring Burt Lancaster. The film tells the story of convicted murderer Robert Stroud, who, while serving a life sentence on the island, cultivated a fascination with birds and ultimately became an expert ornithologist.
In 1979, the American biographical prison drama “Escape from Alcatraz” depicted the infamous 1962 escape of prisoners, featuring Clint Eastwood as the mastermind, Frank Morris.
The location gained fame as the backdrop for the 1996 film The Rock, featuring Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage. The plot centers around a former SAS captain and an FBI chemist who embark on a mission to rescue hostages from Alcatraz Island.
The closure of the prison has been attributed to the high costs associated with its continued operation, as stated on the Federal Bureau of Prisons website. The facility’s operational costs were nearly three times higher than those of any other federal prison, a situation primarily attributed to its island location.
According to Professor Gabriel Jack Chin from the Davis School of Law at the University of California, transforming Alcatraz into a functioning prison would require a substantial financial investment, as reported by the BBC.
According to Chin, the federal prison system has experienced a significant decline. It is currently operating at approximately 25% below its peak population, resulting in a notable number of vacant beds within existing facilities. It remains uncertain whether a new one is necessary.
Alcatraz is known for its formidable reputation as a prison, and according to Chin, Trump is attempting to convey that his administration will adopt a stringent approach to crime.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat from California whose district encompasses Alcatraz, dismissed the proposal as “not a serious one.” Meanwhile, San Francisco Democratic state senator Scott Wiener took to Instagram to label the idea “deeply unhinged” and characterized it as “an attack on the rule of law.”
