President Donald Trump has formally requested $152 million from Congress to initiate his ambitious plan to revive Alcatraz as a federal prison, marking a bold proposal in the 2027 budget unveiled by the White House on Friday.
This funding request aims to cover the initial year of expenses for the project, although the budget proposal does not specify how the $152 million will be allocated.
Trump originally revealed his intentions back in May 2025 through a post on Truth Social. He instructed relevant departments to work towards reopening a “substantially enlarged and rebuilt Alcatraz” to accommodate the nation’s most dangerous criminals.
In support of this proposal, officials from the Trump administration conducted a site visit to Alcatraz in July 2025. This historic site, which ceased operations as a prison over six decades ago, remains a significant cultural landmark.
Trump first announced his plan in May 2025. That’s when he sent a Truth Social post directing departments “to reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt ALCATRAZ, to house America’s most ruthless and violent Offenders.”
Trump administration officials visited Alcatraz in July 2025 to tour the historic site, which closed as a prison more than 60 years ago.
Several Democrats have spoken out against the plan.
Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi previously called it Trump’s “stupidest initiative yet.”
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie also released a statement in July 2025, saying, “There’s no realistic plan to make Alcatraz reopen as anything other than the wonderful tourist attraction that it currently is.”
Alcatraz has been shuttered since 1963, when the federal government closed it down largely due to its high operational costs and crumbling infrastructure.
The tourist attraction currently generates about $60 million in annual revenue, according to the National Park Service. Refurbishing the island and building a new prison would cost at least a quarter of a billion dollars, according to estimates.
Copyright © 2026 KGO-TV. All Rights Reserved.
