July 17th, 2025 - Trump’s Proposal to Reopen Alcatraz Gains Momentum Following Official Visit

In early May, President Trump suggested on social media that he wanted to reopen Alcatraz, a popular tourist site in San Francisco Bay, as a federal prison to house the most dangerous criminals, including those who entered the country illegally. The idea gained traction on Thursday when Attorney General Pam Bondi and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum visited the island to assess the feasibility of the plan.

Bondi and Burgum toured the site and discussed converting it into a federal prison, with Bondi calling it a "great facility" capable of holding "the worst of the worst," including illegal immigrants. They instructed staff to begin collaborating on the project, according to an email from the Justice Department.

The visit occurred before public ferries began running, and only Fox News was allowed to accompany the officials. The site, which is also a national park and bird sanctuary, is managed by the National Park Service but would be moved to the Bureau of Prisons under Trump's plan to combat illegal immigration. Bondi and Burgum shared photos on social media, showing them arriving on a U.S. Coast Guard vessel and touring the island. Trump had previously shared on Truth Social that prison development firms were working on the plan, describing the facility as "intimidating" and "surrounded by sharks."

Critics, including Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Governor Gavin Newsom, dismissed the plan as a publicity stunt aimed at distracting from more pressing issues, such as the president's domestic policy proposals. They also questioned the practicality of reopening a prison on an island with no fresh water, sewage system, or modern infrastructure.

Renovating Alcatraz would be costly and time-consuming, and the original facility held only 336 inmates. Local leaders also expressed concerns that the plan would erase the island's historical significance. Despite these criticisms, Trump’s proposal remains a topic of debate, with some questioning the true motivations behind it.

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie called the plan unrealistic and suggested that the administration could invest billions elsewhere in the city. The debate over Alcatraz reflects broader political tensions between the Trump administration and San Francisco’s liberal leadership.

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Abject (adj, AB-jekt) - Abject usually describes things that are extremely bad or severe. It can also describe something that feels or shows shame, or someone lacking courage or strength.

Example: Happily, their attempts to derail the project ended in abject failure.