President Donald Trump is considering reopening the island of Alcatraz as a federal prison, according to a budget blueprint presented by the White House recently.
The island served as a federal penitentiary for almost 30 years, when it closed in 1963 due to its high cost and a much-publicized daring escape by three prisoners who were never found. It now operates as a museum visited by over 1.2 million tourists annually.
“Alcatraz closed because the infrastructure was failing. The salt of the bay deteriorated the concrete and the pipes. In the decades since it closed, those infrastructure issues have only gotten worse,” said San Francisco Stories teacher Greg Callaghan.
He added, “There are many places that are off limits because they are so dangerous. There’s no way the current building could be retrofitted to be a prison. They’d have to tear it down and start from scratch.”
Brian Kosewic ’16, who also teaches SF Stories, agrees. “I definitely think Alcatraz should not reopen. It would be extremely expensive, and Alcatraz Island as a site has a lot of cultural significance to the people of San Francisco.”
He continued, “It’s a sacred site for the Yelamu tribe, and with the Occupy Alcatraz movement in the 70s, Alcatraz should not be considered territory where the US should just do what it wants with it. The cultural significance needs to be respected, and I don’t think reopening it as a prison does that.”
Vir Tondan ’28 also believes, “It should not reopen.”
The proposal includes a $152 million cost for the first year, according to CNN. The funding will be from a $1.7 billion proposed increase in the Federal Bureau of Prisons budget intended to address low wages and working conditions. The proposal will still need to be approved by Congress.
Trump has previously directed the Bureau of Prisons, FBI, DOJ, and Homeland Security to reopen Alcatraz and fill it with “America’s most violent offenders” in a post on his social media site Truth Social.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) released the following statement on April 3: ““The Trump Administration’s budget proposal is absurd on its face and should be rejected outright. Rebuilding Alcatraz into a modern prison is a stupid notion that would be nothing more than a waste of taxpayer dollars and an insult to the intelligence of the American people.”
According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons website, “On July 17, 2025, Attorney General Bondi, Director Marshall, and Deputy Director Joshua J. Smith visited Alcatraz with Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior Doug Burgum. Their tour of the island underscored the project’s national importance and affirmed a building vision to restore Alcatraz as a BOP facility.”
The BOP website also included, “Reopening Alcatraz isn’t just about a building, it’s about sending a message: crime doesn’t pay, and justice will be served. If feasible, Alcatraz will stand as a beacon of American resolve, where the most dangerous offenders face accountability. For the public, it’s a promise fulfilled—a stronger, safer America. And for President Trump, it’s a project that will make our nation proud.”
In contrast, Pelosi’s statement concluded, “Alcatraz is a historic museum that belongs to the public, and San Franciscans will not stand for Washington turning one of our most iconic landmarks into a political prop. At a time when communities are demanding real investments in public safety, this Administration is pushing a cartoonish throwback that does nothing to address the challenges facing working families. I will work with my colleagues in the Congress to use every parliamentary and budgetary tactic available to block this lunacy.”
