Former President Donald Trump recently announced his intention to reopen and expand Alcatraz, the notorious former prison off the coast of San Francisco that has been closed for over 60 years. In a statement on his Truth Social platform, Trump emphasized the need to house America’s most dangerous criminals in a secure facility like Alcatraz, citing the importance of keeping them away from society to prevent harm.

However, the decision to rebuild and reopen Alcatraz presents financial and logistical challenges, given the significant investment required to bring the aging facility up to modern standards. The prison’s closure in 1963 was primarily due to deteriorating infrastructure and the high costs associated with maintaining an isolated island facility.

Despite its historical significance and popularity as a tourist site managed by the National Park Service, some skeptics, including California Democrat Nancy Pelosi, question the feasibility of Trump’s proposal to reopen Alcatraz. The prison, famously known as “the Rock,” housed notorious criminals like Al Capone and George “Machine Gun” Kelly and was deemed inescapable due to its location in the cold Pacific waters with strong currents.

Trump’s directive to reopen Alcatraz is part of his broader efforts to overhaul the federal prison system and detainment of criminal offenders. This decision comes amidst his controversial initiatives, including attempting to send accused gang members to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador and considering the use of the Terrorism Confinement Center for federal US prisoners. As the Bureau of Prisons prepares to comply with Trump’s order, the practicality and future role of Alcatraz in the federal prison system remain uncertain.