Trump Administration Officials Visit Alcatraz Amidst Controversial Prison Reopening Proposal

San Francisco, CA – Attorney General Pam Bondi and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum are scheduled to visit Alcatraz Island on Thursday, a visit confirmed by Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi’s office to KQED. The purpose of their visit is reportedly tied to the Trump administration's highly controversial proposal to reopen the historic site as a federal penitentiary, a move that has drawn strong condemnation from various political figures and experts.

The announcement comes after President Donald Trump previously floated the idea of utilizing Alcatraz to house "ruthless and violent Offenders," citing concerns over border policies. According to a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump envisioned a "substantially enlarged and rebuilt ALCATRAZ" as a "symbol of Law, Order, and JUSTICE." This vision even included a mention of sharks patrolling the waters around the island.

Alcatraz has operated as a national park and a popular tourist destination for nearly 60 years, attracting approximately 1.2 million visitors annually. It ceased functioning as a federal maximum-security penitentiary in 1963 due to its exorbitant operating costs, which were three times higher than mainland prisons, and the deteriorating condition of its facilities. Experts, including Alcatraz historian John Martini, have stated the building is "totally inoperable," lacking basic utilities like water and sewage.

Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi sharply criticized the initiative, calling it "the Trump Administration’s stupidest initiative yet." She emphasized that the proposal is a "diversionary tactic" and warned that Democrats would employ "every parliamentary and budgetary tactic available to stop the lunacy." San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie also dismissed the idea as "not a serious proposal."

Reopening Alcatraz as a prison would necessitate repealing its current protections under the Historic Preservation Act and the National Environmental Protection Act, as it is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Such a transfer of control from the Department of the Interior to the Bureau of Prisons would require new legislation passed by a two-thirds majority in Congress, presenting significant legal and practical hurdles. The visit by Secretary Burgum, whose department oversees the National Park Service, and Attorney General Bondi, who oversees the Bureau of Prisons, underscores the administration's commitment to this contentious plan.