Trump orders reopening and expansion of Alcatraz to house violent offenders

President Trump announced that he has ordered the reopening and expansion of the federal prison facility on Alcatraz Island to detain what he described as “America’s most ruthless and violent offenders.”

In a post on Truth Social on Sunday, Trump said he directed the Bureau of Prisons, in coordination with the Department of Justice, FBI, and Department of Homeland Security, to reopen a “substantially enlarged and rebuilt” version of Alcatraz to serve as a high-security facility for repeat violent criminals and illegal immigrants.

“For too long, America has been plagued by vicious, violent, and repeat criminal offenders,” Trump wrote. “No longer will we tolerate these serial offenders who spread filth, bloodshed, and mayhem on our streets.”

Trump also criticized judges whom he claimed are afraid to enforce the law and prevent the removal of criminals who entered the country illegally. He added that the reopening of Alcatraz would “serve as a symbol of law, order, and justice.”

Alcatraz, located in San Francisco Bay, California operated as a federal prison from 1934 until its closure in 1963. It was known for housing some of the most high-profile criminals of the 20th century and is now a popular tourist destination.

The facility was closed primarily due to its high operational costs and structural decay due to continuous exposure to salt spray, according to the General Services Administration. Officials at the time determined that maintaining the island prison was no longer sustainable compared to newer, more cost-effective institutions.