Overview

• President Donald Trump announced plans to restore and expand Alcatraz Island as a maximum-security prison, citing the need to house violent criminals, undocumented immigrants, and 'noncompliant' judges.
• The directive tasks the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Department of Justice, Homeland Security, and FBI with assessing reconstruction, but no funding or timeline has been provided.
• Experts highlight significant logistical and financial challenges, noting that Alcatraz lacks basic infrastructure like running water, sewer systems, and electricity, requiring a complete rebuild.
• California officials, including Governor Gavin Newsom and Senator Scott Wiener, have criticized the proposal as impractical and politically motivated, calling it a distraction from pressing issues.
• Alcatraz, closed since 1963 due to high maintenance costs, now operates as a popular National Park Service museum attracting 1.5 million annual visitors.