The president directed federal agencies to rebuild the former federal prison located on a small island off the San Francisco coast.
President Donald Trump on Sunday announced he will “reopen and rebuild” the historic Alcatraz prison off the San Francisco coast to jail the nation’s most ruthless and violent repeat offenders.
In a Truth Social post on Sunday evening, Trump revealed that he has ordered the Bureau of Prisons, the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Homeland Security to reopen the former federal prison located on a small island in California’s Bay Area.
“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,” Trump 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.”
Sunday’s announcement is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to crack down on criminal activity and keep America safe. Trump has already deported hundreds of accused gang members and illegal immigrants to Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT), the maximum-security prison in El Salvador.
“We will no longer be held hostage to criminals, thugs, and Judges that are afraid to do their job and allow us to remove criminals, who came into our Country illegally,” Trump wrote. “The reopening of ALCATRAZ will serve as a symbol of Law, Order, and JUSTICE.”
Alcatraz served as a federal prison from 1934 to 1963 but was ultimately shut down due to high operational costs and infrastructure challenges. According to the Bureau of Prisons, an estimated $3 million to $5 million was needed to restore and maintain the prison to keep it open.
The island facility has now been closed for more than 60 years.
The former military prison was known to be impossible to escape due to the strong currents and cold waters of the Pacific Ocean. Throughout its history, 36 men tried to escape 14 separate times, according to the FBI. But most of those inmates were eventually captured or didn’t survive the attempted escapes.
