Trump Directs Alcatraz’s Reopening and Extension to House America’s “Most Ruthless” Criminals

Donald Trump has ordered US agencies to restore the Alcatraz jail, citing it as a representation of “justice, law, and order.”

In a contentious proposal to restore and enlarge Alcatraz, the old maximum-security prison on an island in San Francisco Bay, US President Donald Trump has described it as a new home for the nation’s “most ruthless and violent offenders.”

Trump said in a statement published on his Truth Social platform on Sunday: “Violent, vicious, and repeat criminal offenders have plagued America for far too long.” He said he had ordered the FBI, Department of Justice, Bureau of Prisons, and Homeland Security to repair and enlarge the institution, calling the decision to reopen Alcatraz a strong statement of “law, order, and justice.”

Trump declared, “Today, I am ordering the Bureau of Prisons, in collaboration with the FBI, Homeland Security, and the Department of Justice, to reopen a significantly expanded and renovated ALCATRAZ.” “America’s most ruthless and violent offenders” would be housed in the institution, which he said would be a “symbol of law, order, and justice.”

Previously the home of notorious criminals such as Al Capone and George “Machine Gun” Kelly, the jail has not been utilized by inmates since it was closed in 1963 because of excessive maintenance expenses. It is now a well-known tourist destination.

The plan has been criticized as unrealistic by legal professionals and political rivals. There are currently “a lot of empty beds” in the federal prison system, according to Professor Gabriel Jack Chin of the UC Davis School of Law, who spoke to the BBC. “It’s unclear whether a new one is required,” he continued.

Democrats were quick to react. The effort was dismissed as “not a serious one” by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose district contains Alcatraz. Meanwhile, San Francisco State Senator Scott Wiener described the concept as “deeply unhinged” and “an attack on the rule of law.”

Trump’s latest idea follows criticism of his overseas prisoner export initiatives. He transported more than 200 suspected Venezuelan gang members to an El Salvadorian prison in March, which sparked controversy. He has also hinted that he would think about sending American criminals to foreign prisons.