President Trump floats idea of reopening Alcatraz prison
President Donald Trump floated the idea of reopening and expanding the infamous Alcatraz prison as he expressed frustration with judges.
Donald Trump’s call to reopen the infamous Alcatraz prison in the San Francisco Bay has garnered attention since the president posted about it on May 4.
The federal prison on Alcatraz Island housed notorious U.S. criminals such as Al Capone before it closed in 1963, becoming one of San Francisco’s most popular tourist destinations.
While Trump called to “REBUILD, AND OPEN ALCATRAZ!” to “house America’s most ruthless and violent Offenders,” the actual process of doing so would prove tricky, as the building has become a museum and historic site brimming with guided tours as part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, overseen by the National Park Service, since its closure.
Reopening the facility, which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and named a National Historic Landmark in 1986, has been considered before. In 1981, Alcatraz Island was one of 14 sites evaluated as the Reagan Administration searched for a location to hold 10,000 to 20,000 Cuban detainees during the Mariel Boatlift. However, the site was rejected because of its lack of utilities, historic nature and popularity as a tourist destination.
Today, Alcatraz is more of a museum than a prison. Here’s a look at where things stand on the inside.
