The administration of Donald Trump has proposed allocating $152 million to begin rebuilding and reopening the former prison at Alcatraz Island as a secure federal detention facility.
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The funding request, included in the White House’s latest budget proposal released on Friday, would cover the first year of costs associated with restoring and operating the historic site as a prison once again. The plan forms part of a broader proposal to increase funding for the Federal Bureau of Prisons by about $1.7 billion.
Officials say the wider funding increase is intended to improve pay and working conditions for correctional officers, addressing a longstanding staffing shortage across the federal prison system.
Budget plan outlines administration priorities
The budget document, which serves as a blueprint for federal spending priorities, must still be approved by the United States Congress. Such proposals are often revised during the legislative process and are rarely enacted in their entirety.
Nonetheless, the request offers insight into the administration’s policy priorities, including renewed interest in turning the historic prison on Alcatraz Island back into an operational correctional facility.
Currently, the island—located off the coast of San Francisco—is a major tourist attraction and historic site, drawing around 1.2 million visitors each year.
Historic prison closed more than six decades ago
Alcatraz operated as a federal penitentiary for nearly 30 years before closing in 1963. According to the Bureau of Prisons, the facility was shut down primarily because of its high operating costs and deteriorating infrastructure.
At the time, officials estimated that between $3 million and $5 million would have been required for restoration and maintenance simply to keep the prison functioning, not including daily operational expenses.
When asked about the full cost of restoring the facility today, the Bureau of Prisons said it is still evaluating what would be required to reopen the prison.
“As an agency, we are moving forward, evaluating, and formulating the actions necessary to reopen and operate USP Alcatraz,” the bureau told CNN.
Longstanding interest from the president
Reopening Alcatraz has been an ongoing interest of President Trump.
In May last year, Trump wrote on the social media platform Truth Social that he had directed the Bureau of Prisons to work with the United States Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Department of Homeland Security to reopen the prison.
He said the rebuilt facility would be expanded and used to house what he described as the country’s most dangerous offenders.
“The reopening of Alcatraz will serve as a symbol of law, order and justice,” Trump wrote.
The director of the Bureau of Prisons, William K. Marshall III, said at the time that the agency would explore all available options to carry out the plan.
Notorious inmates once held there
During its years of operation, Alcatraz held several well-known criminals, including Al Capone, George “Machine Gun” Kelly and James “Whitey” Bulger.
The prison’s isolated location on an island in San Francisco Bay made it one of the most secure federal penitentiaries in the United States during its time in operation.
META: The Trump administration is seeking $152 million in its budget proposal to begin restoring and reopening Alcatraz as a high-security federal prison.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 4 April 2026
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