WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Sunday he will direct several federal agencies to reopen and significantly expand Alcatraz Island as a high-security federal prison, invoking the iconic site’s history to justify what he described as a return to tough-on-crime policy.
“REBUILD, AND OPEN ALCATRAZ! For too long, America has been plagued by vicious, violent, and repeat Criminal Offenders, the dregs of society,” Trump declared in a post on Truth Social. He said he is instructing the Bureau of Prisons, in coordination with the Department of Justice, FBI, and Department of Homeland Security, to reconstruct the long-shuttered penitentiary to detain the “most ruthless and violent Offenders” in the country.
The bold proposal to revive Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary—which has been closed for over 60 years and is now a major tourist attraction and part of the National Park Service—was met with skepticism from California officials and legal experts.
Located in San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz was converted into a federal penitentiary in 1934 and was operated for 29 years, housing more than 1,500 inmates considered too dangerous for other institutions. The facility was formally closed in 1963 due to excessive maintenance costs, logistical difficulties in transporting supplies, and its isolated location.
Trump’s announcement cited Alcatraz’s past role in isolating dangerous criminals. “When we were a more serious Nation… 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,” he wrote.
In its operational years, Alcatraz had an average prison population of 260 to 275 and never reached its maximum capacity of 336 inmates. According to the Bureau of Prisons, the site accounted for less than 1% of the total federal inmate population, though it was nearly three times as expensive to operate compared to other facilities.
The prison’s closure was prompted by the estimated $3 million to $5 million needed for renovations at the time, along with ballooning daily operational costs.
Trump further suggested that the proposed reopening of Alcatraz could support his immigration enforcement agenda. In his Truth Social post, he condemned what he characterized as judicial obstacles to deporting undocumented immigrants, specifically criticizing judges he claimed were “afraid to do their job.”
“All of these radicalized judges want to have trials for every single person that’s in our country illegally,” he told reporters at the White House. “That would mean millions of trials. It’s ridiculous what’s happening.”
Trump referenced his controversial March decision to deport over 200 Venezuelan nationals—allegedly gang-affiliated—under the Alien Enemies Act to a high-security facility in El Salvador. A federal judge appointed during his administration later blocked that effort. A similar proposal involving detaining immigrants at Guantánamo Bay also faced legal and financial pushback and was eventually paused.
Legal experts and officials in California questioned the feasibility of Trump’s proposal. Alcatraz Island, now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, draws over 1 million visitors annually and is one of the most visited National Park Service sites.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose district includes the island, dismissed the proposal on X, formerly known as Twitter, calling it “not a serious one.”
“Alcatraz is a major tourist attraction, not a solution to Trump’s political theater,” Pelosi wrote.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office echoed that sentiment. “Looks like it’s distraction day again in Washington, D.C.,” said Diana Crofts-Pelayo, deputy director of communications for the governor.
The Bureau of Prisons, which operates 120 federal facilities housing more than 156,000 people, did not respond to requests for comment Sunday night. The agency is currently grappling with significant budget constraints and informed union representatives in December of plans to close several federal institutions due to cost concerns.
Despite the obstacles, Trump continues to position the reopening of Alcatraz as a symbolic cornerstone of his broader law-and-order platform.
