US President Donald Trump announced that he has ordered the reconstruction and reopening of Alcatraz, the infamous federal prison located on a small island in California that was closed sixty years ago. In a post on Truth, the US president said that the prison will house America's most ruthless and violent criminals.
“I am directing the Bureau of Prisons, in conjunction with the Department of Justice, the FBI, and Homeland Security, to reopen a significantly expanded and rebuilt ALCATRAZ to house America’s most ruthless and violent offenders. We will no longer be held hostage by criminals, thugs, and judges who are afraid to do their jobs and allow us to remove criminals who have illegally entered our country. The reopening of ALCATRAZ will serve as a symbol of Law, Order, and JUSTICE,” the president wrote in a post on Truth Social.
The president told reporters, as he returned to the White House later Sunday, that it was "just an idea" that had come to him because of "radicalized judges" who want to ensure that migrants being deported have due process.
Speaking later to reporters in Washington, the president stressed that this was "just an idea," driven by frustration with judges who, according to him, are hindering the deportation of illegal immigrants by insisting on individual trials for each case.
“I think because so many of these radicalized judges, they want to have trials for… every person who is in our country illegally,” he said, adding, “that would mean millions of trials.”
Trump described Alcatraz as a fearsome but necessary symbol of authority, highlighting its history as a notorious prison for dangerous criminals.
Alcatraz, located on an island off the coast of San Francisco, operated as a federal prison for nearly 30 years before closing in 1963 "because the institution was too expensive to continue operating," according to the Bureau of Prisons website.
An estimated $3 million to $5 million “was needed just for restoration and maintenance work to keep the prison open,” not including day-to-day operating costs. “Alcatraz was almost three times more expensive to operate than any other federal prison,” according to the website.
It is now operated by the National Park Service as a tourist destination, welcoming approximately 1.2 million visitors annually.
Trump's idea has sparked debate, with critics seeing it as an attempt to revive his previous administration's tougher policies on public safety and immigration. (A2 Televizion)
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