Expanding Alcatraz
Alcatraz might be the most legendary prison in the world — but these days, it’s less about lockdowns and more about selfies. The former island prison has transformed into one of San Francisco’s top tourist hotspots, drawing in around 1.5 million visitors every year who come to walk the cells, hear the ghost stories, and imagine life behind bars.
The infamous 1962 escape, where three inmates vanished into the night and were never found, triggered a political firestorm. With crumbling infrastructure and sky-high maintenance costs, the feds finally pulled the plug on March 21, 1963.
But Donald Trump seems to have a soft spot — maybe even a nostalgic one — for the notorious island. He’s now pushing to not only reopen but expand Alcatraz.
“For too long, America has been plagued by vicious, violent, and repeat Criminal Offenders, the dregs of society, who will never contribute anything other than Misery and Suffering. When we were a more serious Nation, in times past, we did not hesitate to lock up the most dangerous criminals, and keep them far away from anyone they could harm. That’s the way it’s supposed to be.”
“That is why, today, I am directing the Bureau of Prisons, together with the Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security, to reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt ALCATRAZ, to house America’s most ruthless and violent Offenders.”
Part of a broader plan
According to Trump, his decision is part of his broader plan to overhaul how the U.S. locks up federal inmates and immigration detainees. Fresh off a weekend in Florida, Trump returned to Washington Sunday night and shared his frustrations with “radicalized judges” who, he claims, are slowing down deportations by insisting on due process.
“Alcatraz has long been a symbol of law and order. You know, it’s got quite a history,” Trump said.
Reviving the infamous island prison won’t be easy or cheap, according to AP. As mentioned, Alcatraz has been closed since 1963, mostly due to the sky-high cost of operations and deteriorating infrastructure. In fact, the Bureau of Prisons has been closing facilities for similar reasons in recent years.
Still, a Bureau of Prisons spokesperson said the agency “will comply with all Presidential Orders.”
”Not a serious one”
However, they declined to answer further questions from the Associated Press about whether reopening Alcatraz is even logistically or legally feasible, especially since the island is now managed by the National Park Service.
Democratic Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, whose district includes Alcatraz, didn’t hold back in her criticism of Trump’s plan.
“It is now a very popular national park and major tourist attraction. The President’s proposal is not a serious one,” she wrote on X.
Trump’s order comes as he ramps up hardline rhetoric on immigration. He recently pushed for transferring accused gang members to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador — without due process — and floated the controversial idea of sending U.S. prisoners to CECOT, a Salvadoran terrorism confinement center.
In a similarly aggressive move, Trump has also directed the opening of a new detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, designed to hold up to 30,000 of what he called the “worst criminal aliens.”
Whether Alcatraz ever sees prisoners again is still uncertain — but one thing’s for sure: Trump is looking to bring law and order back with a vengeance. Is reopening Alcatraz a smart move to restore justice — or a dystopian stunt that belongs in a history book?