Photo: JOSH EDELSON / AFP / Getty Images
President Donald Trump announced plans to reopen Alcatraz prison to house the "most ruthless and violent" criminals. The former prison, located on an island near San Francisco, was closed in 1963 and has since become a popular tourist destination. Trump shared his proposal on Truth Social, stating that the move would symbolize "law, order, and justice" in America.
Alcatraz, once notorious for housing infamous criminals like Al Capone and George "Machine Gun" Kelly, was closed due to high maintenance costs and deteriorating infrastructure. The prison's isolated location made it nearly three times more expensive to operate than other federal facilities. Despite this, Trump has directed the Bureau of Prisons, Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security to explore reopening and expanding the facility.
The proposal has faced criticism from several politicians, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and California State Senator Scott Wiener. Pelosi called the plan "not a serious one," while Wiener described it as "deeply unhinged" and an attack on the rule of law. Critics also point out that the federal prison system has many empty beds, questioning the necessity of reopening Alcatraz.
Alcatraz's history as a maximum-security prison includes numerous escape attempts, with none officially succeeding. The most famous attempt, dramatized in the film "Escape from Alcatraz," involved three inmates who vanished in 1962. The island's strategic location and strong currents made escape nearly impossible.
Today, Alcatraz is managed by the National Park Service and attracts over a million visitors annually. Restoring it as a prison would require significant funding and logistical efforts, given its current status as a national historic landmark. The Bureau of Prisons has stated it will comply with presidential orders, but the feasibility of reopening Alcatraz remains uncertain.