Former President Donald Trump announced plans to reopen and expand the infamous Alcatraz prison as part of his proposed crackdown on violent offenders and undocumented immigrants.
In a post on Truth Social Sunday night, Trump declared that “the reopening of ALCATRAZ will serve as a symbol of Law, Order, and JUSTICE.”
According to Trump, he’s directed the Bureau of Prisons to work alongside the Department of Justice, the FBI, and Homeland Security to “substantially enlarge and rebuild” Alcatraz, which was originally shut down in 1963.
The island prison, which once held notorious gangster Al Capone, would, according to Trump, serve as the new home for “America’s most ruthless and violent Offenders.”
This proposal comes as Trump continues to face legal challenges over previous attempts to deport undocumented immigrants and alleged gang members, including a controversial plan to send them to a high-security prison in El Salvador. Reopening Alcatraz, Trump argues, offers a way around court rulings that have blocked parts of his immigration strategy.
“We will no longer be held hostage to criminals, thugs, and judges who are afraid to do their jobs,” Trump posted. “We will remove criminals who came into our country illegally.”
In addition to the Alcatraz proposal, Trump has also ordered the construction of a new prison facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, which he says will house up to 30,000 of the “worst criminal aliens.”
Though courts have ruled that deportees are entitled to due process, Trump has floated the idea of detaining U.S. citizens in foreign prisons as well. A modernized Alcatraz, he suggests, could help sidestep legal complications if those plans move forward.
“For too long, America has suffered under the weight of violent, repeat offenders—the worst of society—who only bring misery and suffering,” Trump wrote. “When this country was more serious, we knew how to deal with dangerous criminals: lock them up and keep them far away from law-abiding Americans.”
Alcatraz, located on an island in San Francisco Bay, operated as a maximum-security federal prison for 29 years before shutting down in 1963 due to high operating costs. At the time, it was three times more expensive to run than other federal prisons, mainly due to its isolated location and the need to barge in fresh water and supplies weekly.
When Alcatraz closed, the Bureau of Prisons estimated it would cost $3 million to $5 million just to keep the facility running—not including daily expenses. The decision to shutter the facility was approved by then-Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, and its 1,576 inmates were gradually relocated.
While Alcatraz is most famous for housing notorious criminals, it’s also remembered for dramatic escape attempts. The most famous was in 1962, when inmates Frank Morris and brothers John and Clarence Anglin used dummy heads made of plaster and real hair to fool guards. They were never found. Some believe they drowned in the icy bay waters; others think they escaped and started new lives. In total, 36 inmates attempted to escape from Alcatraz—23 were caught, six were killed, two drowned, and five were never found.
Today, Alcatraz is a major tourist destination and part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Since becoming a national historic landmark in 1973, it draws over 1.5 million visitors each year. Tours often sell out weeks in advance, with highlights including the cell block, recreation yard, and vintage photos from the prison’s heyday.
In January, Donald Trump Jr. floated the idea of reopening Alcatraz on social media, prompting speculation that he influenced his father’s decision. “Now this is a great idea,” he posted in response to plans to send criminals to Guantanamo. “Maybe we should also reopen Alcatraz?”
A Bureau of Prisons spokesperson confirmed on Sunday that the agency “will comply with all Presidential Orders.”
