President Donald Trump says he has ordered the reopening of Alcatraz, the notorious California island prison.
The federal penitentiary closed in 1963. In a Truth Social post Sunday evening, the president urged “REBUILD, AND OPEN ALCATRAZ!”
“For too long, America has been plagued by vicious, violent, and repeat Criminal Offenders, the dregs of society, who will never contribute anything other than Misery and Suffering,” Mr. Trump wrote. “When we were a more serious nation, we did not hesitate to imprison the most dangerous criminals and keep them away from anyone they could harm. That is the way it should be.”
“No longer will we tolerate these serial offenders who spread filth, bloodshed, and mayhem on our streets,” he said, adding that he is directing the Bureau of Prisons, the Department of Justice, the FBI, and Homeland Security to “reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt ALCATRAZ to house America’s most ruthless and violent offenders.”
The president then launched his latest attack on judges, some of whom had recently ruled against the Trump administration over its massive deportation operation.
“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 entered our country illegally,” the president stated. “The reopening of ALCATRAZ will stand as a symbol of law, order, and justice. “We will make America great again.”
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who represents San Francisco, swiftly rejected Trump’s proposal.
“Alcatraz closed as a federal penitentiary over sixty years ago. It is now a popular national park and major tourist destination. “The president’s proposal is not serious,” she wrote on X.
The directive comes after a Texas district judge ruled that the Trump administration’s summary deportation of Venezuelan immigrants accused of gang membership under the Alien Enemies Act, a 1798 wartime law, is “unlawful.”
The Trump administration has sent planes carrying immigrants to El Salvador’s notorious CECOT prison.
Last month, the country’s president, Nayib Bukele, told Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that he intends to expand CECOT, which has been criticized by human rights groups as a “tropical gulag” rife with violations. The prison already has 40,000 inmates.
Last month, Trump told Bukele that “homegrowns”—American citizens—are next. “You need to build about 5 more places…” It is not large enough.”