Trump requests $152m funding to restore Alcatraz as prison
The Guardian • • general
Key Points:
- Former President Donald Trump has requested $152 million in the 2027 fiscal year budget to begin restoring Alcatraz, the former federal prison located off the coast of San Francisco.
- Trump praised Alcatraz as a symbol of law and order, emphasizing its historical role in housing dangerous criminals, and called for its reopening in a previous statement.
- The restoration plan faces strong opposition from California officials, with estimates suggesting the full rebuild could cost over $2 billion, and critics including Governor Gavin Newsom and Nancy Pelosi labeling it fiscally irresponsible and impractical.
- Currently, Alcatraz lacks essential infrastructure such as water, power, gas, and sewage systems, complicating restoration efforts and raising questions about the timeline for reopening.
- The $152 million request is part of a broader $1.7 billion proposal aimed at addressing deteriorating Bureau of Prisons facilities nationwide, while Alcatraz remains a popular historic tourist site since its closure in 1963.
