Former President Donald Trump has called for the reopening and expansion of Alcatraz, the infamous former federal prison located on an island in San Francisco Bay, sparking immediate backlash from legal experts and Democratic leaders.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, Trump said he had directed federal agencies — including the Department of Justice, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and the Bureau of Prisons — to “substantially enlarge and rebuild” Alcatraz. He said the facility would serve as a symbol of “law, order, and justice” and house “America’s most ruthless and violent offenders.”
“For too long America has been plagued by vicious, violent, and repeat criminal offenders,” Trump wrote, pledging to crack down on crime and repeat felons.
The proposal follows a controversial series of moves by the former president, including his reported decision earlier this year to transfer over 200 alleged Venezuelan gang members to a prison in El Salvador. He has also publicly floated the idea of sending “homegrown criminals” to prisons overseas.
Alcatraz, often referred to as “The Rock,” closed in 1963 due to high operational costs. Once home to notorious criminals such as Al Capone and George “Machine Gun” Kelly, it later became one of San Francisco’s most visited tourist attractions. The prison’s island location made it nearly three times more expensive to operate than other federal prisons, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Legal experts have expressed skepticism over the feasibility of reviving the facility. Professor Gabriel Jack Chin of the University of California, Davis School of Law, told the BBC that the federal prison population is currently about 25% below its peak, with many existing facilities operating under capacity. “There are a lot of empty beds. It’s not clear a new one is needed,” Chin said. “This is about symbolism — Alcatraz has a reputation as a tough prison, and Trump wants to send a message.”
The proposal has drawn sharp criticism from Democratic leaders. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose district includes San Francisco and Alcatraz Island, dismissed the idea as “not a serious one.” State Senator Scott Wiener called it “deeply unhinged” and “an attack on the rule of law” in a post on Instagram.
Despite its storied past and appearances in Hollywood films like Escape from Alcatraz and The Rock, the return of Alcatraz as a functioning prison appears unlikely — at least for now.
