The legendary prison Alcatraz, sometimes known as “the Rock,” was closed on March 21, 1963, and was transformed into one of San Francisco’s biggest tourist attractions, receiving 1.5 million tourists annually.
However, on May 4, President Donald Trump revealed that he had asked the Federal Bureau of Prisons to reopen it after more than six decades.
Taking to Truth Social, he said, “For far too long, America has been plagued by cruel, violent, and repeat criminal offenders, the dregs of society who will never offer anything except misery and suffering. When we were a more serious nation, we did not hesitate to imprison the most dangerous criminals and keep them away from everyone they may hurt. That’s the way it should be.”
He went on to explain: “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.”
Alcatraz hosted some of the most prominent criminals, including Al Capone.
Sharing his displeasure with the “radical judges,” who, according to Trump, are slowing down deportations by insisting on due process, Trump is laying out a bigger agenda to alter how the United States detains federal criminals and immigration violators, which includes the decision to rebuild Alcatraz.
“Alcatraz has long served as a symbol of law and order.” “You know, it has quite a history,” Trump stated.
According to the Associated Press, rebuilding the renowned prison “would likely be an expensive and challenging proposition,” especially given that one of the reasons for its closure was high maintenance costs and decaying infrastructure.
Despite this, a Bureau of Prisons official stated that the agency “will comply with all Presidential orders.”
Democratic Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, whose district borders the jail, described Trump’s idea as “not a serious one” because “[the prison] is now a very popular national park and major tourist attraction.”
Trump also ordered the construction of a new prison facility at Guantanamo Bay that will house up to 30,000 of what he described as the “worst criminal aliens.”