The White House on Friday proposed $152 million to reactivate Alcatraz Island as a high-security federal prison, following President Donald Trump's earlier call to transform the historic San
Francisco Bay landmark. The funding request is part of the administration’s budget proposal for the 2027 fiscal year, though such requests are typically treated as suggestions by Congress.
If approved, the funds would allow the Federal Bureau of Prisons to cover the first-year costs of converting Alcatraz into a “state-of-the-art secure prison facility.” Closed in 1969, the island has been managed by the National Park Service for more than five decades, serving as a popular tourist destination.
Trump announced in May via social media that he was directing the Bureau of Prisons, the Department of Justice, and other federal agencies to “reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt Alcatraz, to house America’s most ruthless and violent offenders.”
A Storied Past
Alcatraz first opened its doors in 1934 and was famed for its isolation, surrounded by frigid waters and strong currents that made escape nearly impossible. While no escapes were officially confirmed, five inmates remain listed as “missing and presumed drowned.” The prison gained notoriety for housing some of the nation’s most infamous criminals, including gangster Al Capone and mobster James “Whitey” Bulger.
Despite its reputation for security, Alcatraz was closed because it was prohibitively expensive to operate. According to the Bureau of Prisons, maintaining the island facility cost nearly three times more than other federal prisons.
Today, Alcatraz is one of San Francisco Bay’s top tourist attractions, drawing visitors to its crumbling cellblocks, historic guard towers, and sweeping views of the city skyline. The proposed reopening would mark a dramatic shift, returning the island to active duty as a federal penitentiary after more than 50 years as a public landmark. Photo by Chris6d, Wikimedia commons.
