Why did Trump order the reopening of Alcatraz prison? Why is it infamous?

A small island in San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz was once used as a fort, a military prison, and later, a high-security federal prison

US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he has instructed the Federal Bureau of Prisons to rebuild and reopen the infamous Alcatraz prison in San Francisco Bay. Once a military prison, Trump now aims to restore it to “house America’s most ruthless and violent offenders.”

 

On his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump wrote, “I am directing the Bureau of Prisons, together with the Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security, to reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt ALCATRAZ, to house America’s most ruthless and violent Offenders.”

 

Why does Trump want to reopen Alcatraz prison?

 

In his post, Trump explained why he ordered the rebuilding and reopening of Alcatraz prison. “For too long, America has been plagued by vicious, violent, and repeat criminal offenders, the dregs of society, who will never contribute anything other than misery and suffering. When we were a more serious Nation, in times past, we did not hesitate to lock up the most dangerous criminals, and keep them far away from anyone they could harm. That’s the way it’s supposed to be. No longer will we tolerate these serial offenders who spread filth, bloodshed, and mayhem on our streets.”

 

 

Notably, while discussing criminals he believed deserved to be imprisoned in Alcatraz, he pointedly referred to migrants, saying, “Who came into our country illegally”. “We will no longer be held hostage to criminals, thugs, and Judges that are afraid to do their job and allow us to remove criminals, who came into our Country illegally. The reopening of ALCATRAZ will serve as a symbol of Law, Order, and JUSTICE. We will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Trump said.  

 

What is Alcatraz island?

 

Alcatraz is a small island that was once used as a fort, a military prison, and later, a high-security federal prison.

 

According to a report by the BBC, in the early 1900s, it was rebuilt as a military prison. In the 1930s, the US Department of Justice took control, and it began housing prisoners from the federal prison system.

 

In 1969, a group called Indians of All Tribes took over Alcatraz for 19 months to protest for “freedom and native American civil rights”, according to the US government.

 

Today, Alcatraz Island is a popular tourist destination managed by the National Park Service. It is recognised as a National Historic Landmark. The main prison building is the main attraction, but many other old prison buildings on the island are now in ruins, According to a report by Bloomberg.

 

Why is Alcatraz infamous?

 

Reports suggest that Alcatraz became infamous as a prison that was almost impossible to escape from because of the cold, rough waters and strong ocean currents around it. It was nicknamed “The Rock” and held some of the US’s most dangerous criminals, like gangster Al Capone and George ‘Machine Gun’ Kelly.

 

While the prison was open for 29 years, 36 men tried to escape in 14 different attempts, according to the FBI. Most were caught or died trying. But the escape of three men — John Anglin, his brother Clarence, and Frank Morris — remains a mystery and was shown in the 1979 movie Escape from Alcatraz starring Clint Eastwood.

 

Another famous movie, Birdman of Alcatraz (1962), starred Burt Lancaster and told the story of Robert Stroud, a prisoner who became an expert on birds while serving a life sentence on the island.