US President Donald Trump has requested $152 million from Congress to reopen the infamous Alcatraz prison, as outlined in the 2027 budget documents released by the White House on Friday.
The proposal is part of a broader plan to invest $1.7 billion in modernising outdated detention centres across the country. Alcatraz is earmarked for transformation into a “state-of-the-art” prison facility.
Trump first revealed his intention to reopen Alcatraz in May last year, stating that it would house “America’s most ruthless and violent criminals.”
Known as "The Rock", Alcatraz was a heavily guarded penitentiary located on a rocky island in San Francisco Bay. Between 1934 and 1963, it held some of the nation’s most notorious criminals, including Al Capone, George "Machine Gun" Kelly, Alvin "Creepy" Karpis, and Robert Stroud. Over its history, a total of 1,576 inmates were imprisoned there.
The facility was closed in 1963 due to high operating costs. Supplies, such as food and water, had to be transported by boat, and the salty sea air caused the buildings to deteriorate.
Today, Alcatraz Island serves as a museum and historical monument. It is also a protected breeding ground for birds.
