Donald Trump's plan to reopen Alcatraz fails to recognize why it closed in the first place
Washington D.C.: President Donald Trump has announced plans to reopen and expand Alcatraz, the infamous island prison off San Francisco, to incarcerate America’s most dangerous offenders.
In a Sunday post on Truth Social, Trump criticized the justice system for failing to keep violent criminals off the streets, stating, “When we were a more serious Nation, we did not hesitate to lock up the most dangerous criminals.” He directed the Bureau of Prisons, Justice Department, FBI, and Homeland Security to rebuild and expand the facility.
"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," he wrote.
"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. No longer will we tolerate these Serial Offenders who spread filth, bloodshed, and mayhem on our streets."
However, the proposal faces significant logistical and financial hurdles. Closed in 1963 due to high maintenance costs (nearly $10 per prisoner per day), Alcatraz now operates as a National Park Service landmark, attracting over a million visitors annually. Nancy Pelosi dismissed the idea as unrealistic, citing its popularity as a tourist destination.
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Alcatraz, often called “The Rock,” operated from 1934 to 1963 and was designed to hold America’s most dangerous criminals. Originally, the island served as a military fort and later a military prison in the 19th century. But when the US Department of Justice took over, Alcatraz was transformed into a maximum-security federal penitentiary. Its isolated location, strong currents, and cold water made it nearly escape-proof — or so officials believed.
The prison housed infamous criminals such as Al Capone, George 'Machine Gun' Kelly, and Robert Stroud, the 'Birdman of Alcatraz'. In total, Alcatraz held around 1,500 inmates over its nearly 30 years of operation.
One of Alcatraz’s most enduring mysteries is the 1962 escape attempt by Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers. Using makeshift tools and an elaborate plan, they broke out of their cells and vanished into the night. Though their fate remains unknown, it sparked endless speculation and inspired books and movies.