Trump orders reopening of infamous Alcatraz Prison

Perched on a rocky outcrop in San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz was originally a naval defense fort that was rebuilt in the early 20th century as a military prison.

By Jewish Breaking News

President Donald Trump has announced that he is ordering the reopening of Alcatraz to house “America’s most ruthless and violent offenders.”

“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,” Trump wrote Sunday on Truth Social.

“The reopening of ALCATRAZ will serve as a symbol of Law, Order, and JUSTICE.”

When addressing reporters at the White House regarding his decision, Trump cited frustration with “radicalized judges” who “want to have trials for every single person that’s in our country illegally.”

A spokesperson for the Bureau of Prisons issued a statement saying the agency “will comply with all Presidential Orders,” but did not provide immediate answers regarding the practicality or feasibility of reopening the prison.

Perched on a rocky outcrop in San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz was originally a naval defense fort that was rebuilt in the early 20th Century as a military prison.

The Department of Justice took it over in the 1930s, and it began taking in convicts from the federal prison system.

Beyond its imposing cellblocks, the 22-acre island complex included the West Coast’s first lighthouse, a fortified military citadel, and extensive coastal defenses.

Despite operating for just 29 years, Alcatraz secured an outsized place in American criminal lore. Among its more famous inmates were the notorious gangsters Al Capone, Mickey Cohen, and George “Machine Gun” Kelly.

Though designed to be escape-proof thanks to frigid bay waters and strong currents, the prison witnessed 36 escape attempts during its operation, with the elaborate 1962 breakout by Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers becoming its most legendary, though their ultimate fate remains one of American history’s most enduring criminal mysteries.

According to the Bureau of Prisons, when the facility closed in 1963, it was estimated that upwards of $5 million would be needed just to restore and maintain the prison.

The island was designated as part of the National Park Service in 1972 when Congress created the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Today, it receives over one million visitors annually as a popular tourist destination.

However, California officials have pushed back against Trump’s plans to reopen the infamous prison. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose district includes Alcatraz, called the proposal “not a serious one.”

State Senator Scott Wiener described the plan as “absurd on its face,” noting that the site is currently a “major tourist attraction that generates significant revenue for the federal government and supports many jobs.”

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