Alcatraz Island has been a popular San Francisco tourist attraction since 1963, but with President Donald Trump floating the idea of repurposing the historic landmark as a detention facility, your days of visiting this island prison may soon be over.
President Trump Wants To Turn Alcatraz Into A Prison Again
Alcatraz Island sits about 1.25 miles off the shore of San Francisco. Originally used as a lighthouse facility, it was converted into a federal prison in 1934 and held notorious prisoners like Al Capone and “Machine Gun” Kelly. Strong currents around the island and cold water temperatures made escape nearly impossible, though the 1979 thriller Escape from Alcatraz starring Clint Eastwood told the story of a trio who may have escaped (that’s still debated). In 1963, the prison was closed by Attorney General Robert Kennedy (due to its high operating expense) and since then has become a popular tourist attraction, offering daily tours.
Over the weekend, President Trump suggested it was time to reopen the facility as a jail (it is currently operated by the National Park Service):
REBUILD, AND OPEN ALCATRAZ! 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. 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. That is why, today, I am directing the Bureau of Prisons, together with the Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security, to reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt ALCATRAZ, to house America’s most ruthless and violent Offenders. 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. The reopening of ALCATRAZ will serve as a symbol of Law, Order, and JUSTICE. We will, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
His supporters are rallying around the idea, though I’d imagine that the logistics of turning a tourist attraction back into a federal prison are easier said than done.
My family used to take a road trip every year up the California coast from LA to San Francisco and I’ll always remember crossing the Bay Bridge into San Francisco and looking out of the car window at the flashing light of the lighthouse on Alcatraz (“pelican” in some variants of Spanish).
Despite numerous visits to the Bay Area, I’ve never set foot on Alcatraz Island…and now I’m thinking I better do it before it’s too late…
Have you been to Alcatraz?
You’re not missing much it smells like death.
Next week he’ll start ranting about turning Yosemite into an ICE detention center.
Yeah, reopening a former prison to be used a prison is exactly like using a park like Yosemite as a prison.
Alcatraz is a National Park idiot.
Never said it wasn’t moron–just that it was, and maybe again, a prison.
RFK (the original one) closed Alcatraz because it was too expensive to operate. Shipping office paper, canned beans, laundry soap, and everything needed on the island out to the middle of the bay wasn’t cheap. Facilities were also deteriorating in the marine climate. Plus, the standards for a prison (security features and health standards) have surely changed since the early 1960s, and I’m sure this is way behind and would need expensive updating. This is either Trump popping off whatever idea flash through his head, or possibly an attempt to generate a news day that doesn’t include other topics. He’d prefer not to talk about. It won’t happen.
bring back the dungeons, not just D block
let the trouble makers spend a few months in total darnkess without a shower, eating only moldy bread
And speaking of a felon that should be in prison….
You are so right!
Fat chance. More nonsense, just attempts to distract the rubes from the continuing descent into fascism.
I don’t know about Alcatraz but a new big, beautiful, escapeproof prison in the middle of another shark infested body of water I’d be okay with.
Care to guess why many Asian and Middle Eastern countries are as safe as they are?…..it’s because they don’t tolerate criminal behavior and have REAL consequences for the aholes who commit those crimes….so real, that people think twice and thrice before effing around.
Bring on the CECOT USA Edition!
Or it could be because maybe those countries have affordable healthcare and societies that uplift and help people so there is no need to turn to crime.
@ CHRIS — Indeed, they lock up people like DJT in those countries.
The Mad Orange God-King is ranting again. Someone please slip an extra Zyprexa wafer into his next Big Mac.
The US already has a facility to store the worst of the worst – ADX Florence, the notorious “Supermax”. The president has no idea what he’s talking about, as usual.
Alcatraz is a dump that’s barely maintained. If he can use it as a prison it’s ideal,
Don’t we have Supermax-Florence in Colorado for this?
Alcatraz was crumbling when we visited. Perhaps one of the worst prisons in the US is Angola ( the Louisiana State Prison ). On thousands of acres of alligator infested swampland, no visitors allowed. Average stay 53 + years. I’m sure the stable genius could negotiate a deal for all the perceived enemies.
Somebody forgot to take there Thorazine again and this idea is the result.
So he’s reopening a costly prison just so DOGE can shut it down?
This is the golden age to be a comedian.
Some jokes really do write themselves. It’s like the “Cows kill more people than sharks” line where the obvious response is to say I didn’t know cows killed sharks at all.
Sharks in the Bay have laser beams on their heads. It was a Biden initiative.
Throw me a bone here.
Speaking of California, did you hear that Trump is going to rename the San Andreas Fault to Joe Biden’s Fault?
Bwahahaha!
This is never going to happen. Yes, you should visit Alcatraz because it has an amazing history. But it’s never going to be a prison again.
When Trump says something outlandish, it’s part of a plot to dominate the news cycles and distract from unpopular stuff he is actually doing. And the tactic works, as evidenced by your post.
It’s outrageous and ridiculous to turn Alcatraz into a real prison ! It’s a tourist attraction for decades. Why turns tourists attractions into somber place ? USA is a happy country which I’m proud to be American and part of this country with freedom ! CM