Trump orders reopening of notorious Alcatraz prison after 60 years to lock up America’s ruthless ‘dregs of society’

Trump says he came up with the move after court clashes over El Salvador deportations

DONALD Trump has proudly announced that he is directing his government to “reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt ALCATRAZ.”

“America’s most ruthless and violent offenders” will be housed in the long-shuttered prison just off San Francisco, California, the president said.

Aerial view of Alcatraz Island.
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Trump plans to reopen the notorious high-security Alcatraz prison, which has been closed for over 60 yearsCredit: AFP

Screenshot of a tweet by Donald J. Trump advocating for the reopening of Alcatraz prison.
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The US president announced the controversial move on Truth SocialCredit: X

Photo of Donald Trump taking questions from the press.
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Trump said he’s reopening the prison as it’s long been a ‘symbol of law and order’Credit: AFP
Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social on Sunday evening: “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 its supposed to be.”

“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.”

When Trump returned to the White House on Sunday night, he explained this idea emerged after his frustrations with “radicalized judges” who have insisted those deported receive due process.

Trump said Alcatraz has long been a “symbol of law and order. You know, it’s got quite a history.”

A spokesperson for the Bureau of Prisons said that the agency “will comply with all Presidential Orders.”

The spokesperson did not immediately answer questions from The Associated Press about how practical or feasible the reopening of Alcatraz would be.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat whose district includes the island, wrote on X, “It is now a very popular national park and major tourist attraction.

“The President’s proposal is not a serious one.”

Such a move would likely be expensive as the prison was closed in 1963 due to crumbling infrastructure, as well as the high costs needed to repair and supply the island facility.

The prison, dubbed “The Rock”, is surrounded by strong ocean currents and cold Pacific waters that make it virtually inescapable.

Within the 29 years it was open, 36 men attempted 14 separate escapes, according to the FBI.

Nearly all were caught or did not survive the attempt.

May 4, 2025, Washington, D.C, California, U.S: A Marine exits Marine One before President Donald Trump while returning from a weekend in Florida. 04 May 2025 Pictured: May 4, 2025, Washington, D.C, California, U.S: President Donald Trump walks on the south lawn of the White House with Viktor Knavs, father of first lady Melania Trump, after exiting Marine One while returning from a weekend in Florida. Photo credit: ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA TheMegaAgency.com sales@mega.global
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Trump has directed the Bureau of Prisons to work with the Department of Justice, the FBI, and Homeland Security to reopen AlcatrazCredit: The Mega Agency

FILE - People tour the main cell house on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco, March 15, 2021, as the historic island prison was reopened to visitors after being closed since Dec. 2020, because of the coronavirus threat. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)
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The main cell house on Alcatraz IslandCredit: ASSOCIATED PRESS
America’s most notorious criminals, including gangster Al Capone and bank robber George “Machine Gun” Kelly, have been locked up in Alcatraz.

Alcatraz Island is now a major tourist site operated by the National Park Service that has over 1.4 million visitors each year.

The prison is also a designated National Historic Landmark.

The Bureau of Prisons currently has 16 penitentiaries that perform the same high-security functions as Alcatraz.

Trump’s order to rebuild Alcatraz comes after he has been clashing with courts over sending accused gang members to the maximum-security CECOT prison in El Salvador without due process.

In January, Trump revealed plans to send up to 30,000 illegal immigrants to detention facilities in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

In March, the US president began to deport hundreds of alleged gang members to a notorious prison in El Salvador.

The US president shared videos showing accused members of the Tren de Aragua gang being shoved into the prison by heavily armed cops.

One Venezuelan man was even arrested and deported to the prison as a result of his tattoos being mistakenly interpreted as gang symbols, his family has claimed.

Trump’s Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was filmed touring CECOT.

In the video, Noem gave a stern warning:

“If you are a criminal alien considering entering America illegally: Don’t even think about it.

“If you come here and break our laws, we will hunt you down. Criminals are not welcome in the United States.”

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - AUGUST 15: Cell of the inmate Frank Morris who escaped from the maximum security federal prison of Alcatraz on June 11, 1962, is seen on August 15, 2023 in San Francisco, California, United States. Alcatraz Prison is operating now as a museum, the prison also called as ''The Rock'' is managed by the U.S. National Park Service. The prison was in operation from 1861 until 1963. Each year, more than 1.5 million visitors travel to Alcatraz Island. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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The cell of inmate Frank Morris, who escaped from Alcatraz in 1962Credit: GETTY IMAGES

President Trump speaking to reporters on the White House lawn.
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Trump was asked about the feasibility of reopening and rebuilding the island facilityCredit: Getty