07.05.2025 – (12:01 PM)

US President Donald Trump has ordered the reopening of the notorious Alcatraz prison on a small island in California.

The prison has been closed for more than 60 years.

In a post on his Truth Social media account on April 4, Trump said he has tasked the Department of Prisons, the Justice Department, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security with renovating Alcatraz to house the most brutal and violent prisoners in the United States.

Trump envisions the prison as a symbol of the rule of law in the United States, not just for dangerous criminals.

Alcatraz is located on a rocky island in the San Francisco Bay in California. It operated from 1934 to 1963 and was known as one of the worst prisons in the United States at the time. It was notorious for its high water levels, The cold weather made escapes difficult.

No one has successfully escaped in the 29 years of the prison, except for five prisoners who disappeared and were presumed drowned. There were 36 escape attempts, some of which were recaptured and others were shot. Everything from fuel to food was transported by boat, and the prison was nearly three times more expensive than other prisons, so it closed in 1963.

Prisoners were given only four basic amenities: shelter, food, clothing, and medical care. Visits with family, books, and recreation were special privileges. The number of prisoners at Alcatraz when it opened was about 260 to 275, less than one percent of the total population of a federal prison.

Trump is not the first president to consider reopening Alcatraz. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan’s administration had earmarked 14 sites for the 20,000 Cuban refugees who had fled to Florida, including Alcatraz. However, the site was not selected due to its lack of adequate facilities and its historical significance.

While the cost of each inmate in a modern prison is between $120 and $164, a prison like Alcatraz can cost upwards of $500. Alcatraz can hold a maximum of 340 inmates.