On Sunday, May 4, President Donald Trump announced that he has ordered his government to reopen the infamous San Francisco prison Alcatraz, which in the early 20th century hosted a number of notorious criminals including Al Capone, Robert “the Birdman” Stroud, and George “Machine Gun” Kelly. The penitentiary was closed in 1963 due to the crumbling infrastructure, and today serves as a popular tourist destination with a tour and museum.
Over his social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote: “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 it’s 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.”
A spokesperson for the Bureau of Prisons confirmed that there was a presidential order to reopen the prison, and stated “we will comply” with the command. Nancy Pelosi, who represents San Francisco in the House of Representatives, said that “the President’s proposal is not a serious one”, citing the location’s popularity amongst tourists and the decrepit state of the jail.
At the White House, President Trump said the decision was influenced by his opposition to so-called “radicalized judges” that had ruled in favor of due process for deported migrants. His efforts to use prisons outside of the US to house undocumented immigrants and members of organized crime circuits, such as the Terrorism Confinement Center in El Salvador and Guantanamo Bay Prison in Cuba, have faced a myriad of challenges over their legality. He claimed that a jail in the US would be indisputably legal. He also praised Alcatraz as a “symbol of law and order” and lauded its nearly 3-decade reign as the country’s foremost national security prison.
“You know, it’s got quite a history,” he added.
