Feds prep for reopening of Alcatraz prison. Critics call it the ‘stupidest initiative yet'

Los Angeles Times

17-07-2025

Two federal officials toured the infamous Alcatraz penitentiary in the San Francisco Bay early Thursday morning as part of the Trump administration's effort to reopen the infamous island prison, a move that critics say would be more expensive than building a new prison.
U.S. Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum visited Alcatraz before the rush of tourists walked into the now-shuttered island prison, and officials said the two planned to make an official announcement that would air on Fox News.
But critics of the Trump administration have called the effort a stunt and a distraction, with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi referring to the visit and the push to reopen the prison as 'the Trump Administration's stupidest initiative yet.' Pelosi's district includes the island and adjacent San Francisco.
'Make no mistake: this stupidity is a diversionary tactic to draw attention away from this Administration's cruelest actions yet in their Big, Ugly Law, which takes food from children and rips health care from millions to give tax breaks to billionaires,' Pelosi said in a statement, referring to the recently passed 'Big Beautiful Bill' passed by Congress. 'It remains to be seen how this Administration could possibly afford to spend billions to convert and maintain Alcatraz as a prison when they are already adding trillions of dollars to the national debt.'
President Trump has pushed for the reopening of prison for months now, saying in a social media post that doing so would be a 'symbol of Law, Order and JUSTICE.'
Trump, according to the post, said the structure would house the country's 'most ruthless and violent' offenders.
A Justice Department spokesperon said Bondi and Burgum were set to get a briefing on the facility as part of their visit, and would be meeting with National Park Police and other officials about what planning would be necessary to rehabilitate and reopen the facility as a prison once again.
Currently, the former prison serves as a popular tourist attraction for visitors to San Francisco.
Originally opened in 1934, the prison closed its doors to convicts in 1963 after federal officials determined it was too costly to operate.
According to the Bureau of Prisons, the prison was roughly three times more costly to operate than any other prison in the country, mostly because of its location on a 22-acre island.
The need to send in supplies, including food and fresh water for guards, operators and prisoners, means that it would be cheaper to open a new facility than to operate Alcatraz.
For more than five decades now, the prison has functioned as a museum under the management of the National Park Service.
For Alcatraz to operate once again as a prison, Congress would have to pass legislation to remove National Environmental Policy Act and Historic Preservation Act requirements for the area.
If reopened, the facility would also have to be transferred back to the Bureau of Prisons for operation.
Local officials and Democrats have voiced strong opposition to reopening the facility as a prison.
In a social media post Thursday, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie criticized the Trump administration's effort.
'There is no realistic plan for Alcatraz to host anyone other than visitors,' he said on X. 'If the federal government has billions of dollars to spend in San Francisco, we could use that funding to keep our streets safe and clean and help our economy recover.'
Pelosi, in her statement, also said efforts to reopen Alcatraz would face stiff opposition in Congress.
'Should reason not prevail and Republicans bring this absurdity before the Congress, Democrats will use every parliamentary and budgetary tactic available to stop the lunacy,' Pelosi said in a statement.