Trump Orders Reopening of Alcatraz Prison

President Trump has announced plans to reopen Alcatraz as a federal penitentiary, directing several federal agencies to begin the process, which is estimated to cost over $250 million in refurbishment. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum have visited Alcatraz to advance the proposal. The plan has drawn widespread criticism from California leaders, including Rep. Nancy Pelosi, who called it impractical, unaffordable, and a product of 'decades-old fictional Hollywood movies.' Critics such as Pelosi, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, and Governor Gavin Newsom's office argue the facility is inoperable and reopening it would divert resources from more urgent needs. Pelosi also claimed the proposal is intended as a diversion from unpopular legislative actions by the administration. Alcatraz has operated as a national park and tourist attraction since closing as a prison in 1963.