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2w ago

Trump’s Alcatraz Reopening Plan Faces Skepticism Over Feasibility and Costs

Experts and lawmakers question the practicality of President Trump’s proposal to rebuild and expand the historic prison, citing infrastructure decay, financial challenges, and its current role as a major tourist site.

A re-creation of the cell once occupied by Alcatraz escapee Frank Morris is seen in 2003 at Alcatraz.
Sisters of the Anglin brothers, Marie Anglin Widner (right) and Mearl Anglin Taylor, visit Alcatraz in 2012 on the 50th anniversary of their brothers' escape.
Visitors this month tour the prison cells on Alcatraz Island.
A bird flies this month above Alcatraz Island in the San Francisco Bay in California.

Overview

  • President Trump announced plans to reopen and enlarge Alcatraz Island as a high-security prison, framing it as a symbol of law and order.
  • The Bureau of Prisons has initiated a feasibility study, but no funding or timeline has been allocated for the project.
  • Experts highlight significant challenges, including the prison’s deteriorated infrastructure, high costs, and water and sewage issues, which led to its 1963 closure.
  • Alcatraz currently operates as a National Park Service museum, generating $60 million annually and attracting over a million visitors each year.
  • Stakeholders, including former inmate Charlie Hopkins and local lawmakers, have expressed doubts about the practicality and necessity of the proposal, viewing it as more symbolic than actionable.