Why does Donald Trump want to reopen notorious island prison Alcatraz?
President Donald Trump directed the US federal government to 'reopen and expand' the Alcatraz, the notorious island prison used to jail hardened criminals as part of his renewed crackdown against crime committed by illegal immigrants. A view from a helicopter of Alcatraz Prison, a National Parks site located on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay in San Francisco, California, U.S. May 5, 2025.(REUTERS)
Explaining his decision in a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, '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.'
Also see | Photos of Alcatraz prison, the notorious US jail which housed gangsters Al Capone, Floyd Hamilton, Machine Gun Kelly
The US president also suggested that American governments in the past were not 'serious' enough to crackdown on violent crimes. '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,' Trump added.
The Republican said the renewed Alcatraz will be used 'to house America's most ruthless and violent Offenders,' and his decision 'will serve as a symbol of Law, Order, and JUSTICE.' Why was Alcatraz closed?
According to the US Bureau of Prisons, Alcatraz was closed in 1963 due to high operating costs after being open for just 29 years. Crumbling infrastructure and high cost of supplying the island facility through a boat was also cited as reasons for its closure.
Located two kilometers (1.25 miles) off the coast of San Francisco and with a capacity of just 336 prisoners, the facility now serves as a tourist attraction. It is administered by the National Parks Service and is a designated National Historic Landmark.
Also read | American man faces 53 years in prison for brutal murder of young Palestinian boy
It has held several well-known criminals, including Prohibition-era mob boss Al Capone, and saw many fantastical escape attempts by inmates. According to the FBI, 36 men attempted 14 separate escapes, but all were either caught or did not survive the attempt.
The 1979 Hollywood film 'Escape from Alcatraz,' starring Clinton Eastwood, dramatized the fate of three particular inmates — John Anglin, his brother Clarence and Frank Morris.
Nancy Pelosi, former House speaker and Democratic lawmaker from California, downplayed the Republican President's plan.
'Alcatraz closed as a federal penitentiary more than sixty years ago. It is now a very popular national park and major tourist attraction. The President's proposal is not a serious one,' she wrote on X.
Previously, Donald Trump has invoked a war time law to deport Venezuelan gang members and is also locked in a legal battle with courts to send accused gang members to a notorious prison in El Salvador. He had also directed the opening of a detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to hold up to 30,000 of what he has labeled as the 'worst criminal aliens.'
(With AP inputs)
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