Former President Donald Trump has announced his intention to revive Alcatraz, the infamous island prison near San Francisco, as part of a larger effort to combat repeat and violent offenders in the U.S.
Posting on his Truth Social platform over the weekend, Trump criticized what he called an epidemic of crime across the country. He revealed plans to not only reopen Alcatraz but to expand and modernize it, calling the facility a potential symbol of strength and justice.
“For too long, America has tolerated violent repeat criminals,” he wrote. “It’s time to send a clear message.”
Trump said the revived Alcatraz would be overseen by the Bureau of Prisons, with support from the Department of Justice, the FBI, and Homeland Security. He emphasized that it would hold only the most dangerous individuals.
However, Democratic leaders were quick to reject the idea. Critics called it a political stunt rather than a serious policy proposal. The original Alcatraz was decommissioned in 1963, largely because it was far more costly to run than other federal facilities. Today, it serves as a popular historic site and tourist attraction.
Trump’s announcement aligns with his broader law-and-order rhetoric. Earlier in the year, he authorized the transfer of over 200 suspected Venezuelan gang members to a prison in El Salvador. He has also floated the controversial idea of sending American inmates to prisons overseas.
Alcatraz has a long and storied history. Originally built as a military fort, it later became a maximum-security prison that held some of the most notorious criminals of the 20th century, including Al Capone and George “Machine Gun” Kelly. Its legacy lives on through Hollywood portrayals in films such as Birdman of Alcatraz, Escape from Alcatraz, and The Rock.
Yet experts are skeptical about the practicality of Trump’s plan. Gabriel Jack Chin, a law professor at the University of California, Davis, noted that the island’s isolation made it extremely expensive to operate—nearly triple the cost of other prisons. Moreover, the current federal inmate population is down by about 25% from its peak, with many existing prisons already under capacity.
“There’s no real demand for new prison space right now,” Chin explained. “Reopening Alcatraz would be more about optics than necessity.”
Political opposition to the plan was strong. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose district includes Alcatraz, dismissed the proposal outright. State Senator Scott Wiener called it “unhinged” and warned that it undermines principles of legal due process.
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