On Sunday, May 4th, President Trump announced that he has ordered the Federal Bureau of Prisons to expand and reopen Alcatraz prison to detain “the most violent and brutal criminals in America,” considering it a symbol of “law and order.”
Alcatraz, a famous prison located in San Francisco Bay, has been unused for over 60 years since its closure in 1963. Trump stated on the social media platform Truth Social that the United States has long been plagued by “violent, brutal, and repeat offenders.”
“In the past, when we were a more serious country, we did not hesitate to detain the most dangerous criminals, keeping them away from anyone they might harm. That is the right approach,” Trump wrote. “Therefore, today I have instructed the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), in conjunction with the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Department of Homeland Security, to jointly reopen and significantly expand and rebuild Alcatraz prison to detain America’s most ruthless and violent criminals.”
Situated within the San Francisco Bay in California, Alcatraz is an isolated island known as “The Rock” due to its steep terrain and swift currents, making it nearly impossible to escape. The federal government officially opened the island as a high-security federal prison in 1934, specifically for holding the nation’s most infamous criminals, including mob boss Al Capone and “Machine Gun” George Kelly.
During its 29 years of operation, Alcatraz saw 36 prisoners attempt 14 escapes, with almost all being recaptured or perishing. The most famous escape attempt occurred in 1962 when John Anglin, Clarence Anglin, and Frank Morris escaped together and their fate remains unknown to this day, inspiring the 1979 film “Escape from Alcatraz.”
Due to high operating costs, Alcatraz was officially closed in 1963. According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons website, the operating cost of Alcatraz was nearly three times that of other federal prisons mainly due to the island relying on shipments for all supplies, including food, fuel, and personnel. Subsequently, the island was taken over by the National Park Service and has become one of San Francisco’s most popular tourist destinations, designated as a National Historic Landmark.
Alcatraz holds a unique symbolic significance in American culture and has served as the backdrop for several movies, including “The Rock” starring Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage in 1996.
President Trump expressed his hope that by reopening the prison, a strong message against crime would be conveyed to the world.
Despite Trump’s issuance of the reactivation order, the actual execution faces multiple challenges. One of the main reasons for the closure of Alcatraz prison was its high operating costs.
The Associated Press pointed out that upgrading Alcatraz to modern safety and facility standards may require substantial investment, conflicting with the direction of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, which has recently closed other facilities in an attempt to cut expenses. Additionally, the island currently falls under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service and is designated as a National Historic Landmark, raising legal and administrative questions regarding whether its land use can be converted back to prison use.
Regarding the proposal, Democratic figure and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi stated that Alcatraz is currently a “very popular national park and major tourist attraction,” casting doubts on the seriousness of the President’s proposal.
As of now, a spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of Prisons has only stated they will “comply with all presidential directives,” without providing specifics on the feasibility of implementation or coordination details with the National Park Service.