Trump asks Congress for $152 million to reopen Alcatraz as a prison
Kyiv • UNN
The Trump administration is requesting funds to restore Alcatraz for the most dangerous criminals. San Francisco authorities oppose it due to lack of infrastructure.
The Donald Trump administration is asking Congress for $152 million for the first phase of converting Alcatraz from a tourist attraction back into a federal prison. This is stated in the White House's budget proposal for the 2027 fiscal year, NYT reports, writes UNN.
Details
The funds are intended to kickstart Trump's plan, which he previously publicly promoted as an idea to restore Alcatraz for holding "America's most dangerous criminals." In total, the budget allocates $5 billion for the U.S. Bureau of Prisons to modernize outdated detention facilities, including this one.
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However, the plan faces strong opposition in San Francisco, where Alcatraz is one of the main tourist attractions. An additional problem is the condition of the island: there has long been no proper infrastructure, no water supply or sewage, and most of the facilities are in disrepair.
San Francisco has already called the idea absurd
California Representative Nancy Pelosi sharply criticized the initiative.
Turning Alcatraz into a modern prison is a foolish idea that will be nothing but a waste of taxpayer money.
State Senator Scott Wiener also spoke out against it, emphasizing that investing large sums in returning a prison to the island makes no sense.
We need to do everything in our power to stop this (the return of Alcatraz to prison status - ed.). This is absurd
Alcatraz has not been used as a prison for over 60 years. The final decision on funding will be made by the U.S. Congress.