Trump asks Congress for $152 million to start rebuilding Alcatraz prison
Los Angeles Times • • general
Key Points:
- President Trump has requested $152 million in his fiscal year 2027 budget to begin rebuilding Alcatraz Island as a functioning federal prison, reviving his previous proposal to convert the historic site into a secure prison facility.
- The Bureau of Prisons has not provided updates on the project's progress or completed assessments, stating only that it is evaluating necessary actions to support the president’s agenda.
- Critics, including Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Patty Murray, condemn the proposal as a costly and wasteful use of taxpayer money that threatens Alcatraz’s status as a historic landmark and tourist attraction.
- The prison, which operated from 1934 to 1963 and housed notorious criminals, is now a national park and historic site managed by the National Park Service, drawing over a million visitors annually.
- Lawmakers such as Sen. Adam Schiff argue that reopening Alcatraz as a prison would be prohibitively expensive and distract from more pressing issues like addressing repair needs in existing federal prisons and lowering living costs for Americans.
