Trump has an 'idea': Reopen Alcatraz for 'ruthless, violent' offenders

Summary

• US President Donald Trump plans to reopen the infamous Alcatraz prison, saying his country will no longer be held “hostage to criminals, thugs and judges”.

• He later tells reporters that it is “just an idea” because of “radicalised judges”.

The infamous Alcatraz prison, which inspired several movies, is poised to reopen its fortified steel doors under President Donald Trump.

In a social media post, Trump said he is directing the Bureau of Prisons to rebuild and reopen Alcatraz as a place to “house America’s most ruthless and violent offenders.”

“I am directing the Bureau of Prisons, together with the Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security, to reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt Alcatraz, to house America’s most ruthless and violent offenders. 

“We will no longer be held hostage to criminals, thugs, and judges that are afraid to do their job and allow us to remove criminals, who came into our country illegally,” the president wrote in a post on Truth Social.

“The reopening of Alcatraz will serve as a symbol of law, order, and justice,” he emphasised.

‘Radicalised judges’

According to CNN, the president later told reporters that it was “just an idea” because of “radicalised judges” who want to ensure migrants being deported have due process.

“I guess because so many of these radicalised judges, they want to have trials for… every single person that’s in our country illegally,” he said, adding, “that would mean millions of trials.”

Trump described Alcatraz as “a sad symbol, but it’s a symbol of law and order. And you know it’s got quite a history, frankly, so I think we’re going to do that”.

Designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1986, the former prison is now operated by the National Park Service as a tourist destination.

Known as inescapable due to the strong ocean currents and frigid Pacific waters surrounding it, Alcatraz was also referred to as “The Rock” and housed some of the most notorious criminals, including gangster Al Capone and George “Machine Gun” Kelly.

One news report said that the cell doors were made of hardened steel, designed to defeat what prison architects called “experienced criminals bent on escape”.

The mechanism that kept the men locked in the cells was “state of the art” when it was upgraded to a federal prison in 1934.

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