US President Donald Trump has asked Congress for $152 million to rebuild the maximum-security prison on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay as part of his 2027 budget proposal, The New York Times reported.
According to the newspaper, the inclusion of a plan to modernize “aging prisons“, which includes Alcatraz, in the budget proposal is the most concrete step toward implementing an idea first proposed by President Trump in 2025.
However, the US president's desire faces challenges. The newspaper notes that Alcatraz is a popular tourist destination. In addition, the prison's infrastructure, which has been empty for more than 60 years, is in poor condition state. The San Francisco City Council considers the restoration of the facility's prison status "frivolous", the publication reports.
In May 2025, Trump called for the restoration and reopening of Alcatraz Island to "house the most ruthless and violent criminals in America". The US President said that he had tasked the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Department of Justice, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security with this work.
The prison was built in 1912 and was fully occupied by prisoners until 1920. It was the first in the United States to be used for long-term detention, and was known for its strict attitude towards disciplinary violations. In 1936, the authorities decided to transfer the prison to the Department of Justice. It was rebuilt to improve security, after which it began to house the most dangerous criminals: murderers, thieves, rapists, gangsters, recidivists and rebels.
In 1963, the facility was closed for economic reasons.