Could tourists be ousted from Alcatraz? Trump calls for prison island’s return to service

Donald Trump has announced plans to bring Alcatraz back into use as a federal prison, raising questions over the future of one of America’s most visited historic landmarks

The U.S. president told reporters on Sunday that the idea came from his frustration at “radicalized judges” accused of slowing down his deportations.

In a statement issued on his Truth Social platform, he said he had ordered the US Bureau of Prisons to reopen a “substantially enlarged and rebuilt” Alcatraz to house what he called “America’s most ruthless and violent offenders”.

“For too long, America has been plagued by vicious, violent, and repeat criminal offenders,” he wrote. “That is why… I am directing the Bureau of Prisons… to reopen ALCATRAZ.”

The National Park Service, which operates the island fortress as a heritage site and museum, has not commented on how such a proposal could affect public access. Alcatraz, in San Francisco Bay, currently welcomes more than a million visitors each year and ranks among California’s most iconic tourist attractions.

Known colloquially as The Rock, the prison was once considered America’s most secure penitentiary. Built to house escape-prone inmates, it operated between 1934 and 1963 and became infamous for holding mobsters including Al Capone and George “Machine Gun” Kelly. Its location—1.25 miles offshore, surrounded by strong currents and icy waters—was thought to make escape impossible.

In reality, 36 men attempted to flee during its 29-year history. The most famous breakout involved Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers, who slipped out of their cells in 1962 using handmade tools and disappeared into the bay on a raft made of raincoats. Their story became the basis for the Clint Eastwood film Escape from Alcatraz.

The prison was eventually closed due to crumbling infrastructure and high operational costs. At the time, it was three times more expensive to run than any other federal prison. Since the 1970s, it has operated as a museum site under federal protection, with ferry access from San Francisco and self-guided audio tours through its preserved cell blocks and corridors.

Trump’s statement also hinted at plans to detain undocumented migrants at the site. “We will no longer be held hostage to criminals, thugs, and judges that are afraid to do their job,” he wrote, claiming Alcatraz could serve as a model of “law, order, and JUSTICE”.

The response has been swift. Nancy Pelosi, the former Democratic House Speaker, whose district includes Alcatraz, dismissed the idea. “It is now a very popular national park and major tourist attraction. The president’s proposal is not a serious one,” she wrote.

While the Bureau of Prisons confirmed it would comply with presidential orders, it declined to answer questions about whether reopening the island facility is practically possible—especially given its current role as a protected heritage site.

Main image: Kelly/Pexels. Other photos courtesy Clément Proust, Malcolm Hill, Mark Stebnicki, and Xiaoyi (all Pexels)