Trump requests $152m funding to restore Alcatraz as prison

April 4, 2026

TL;DR

Donald Trump's 2027 fiscal year budget proposal includes a $152 million request to restore Alcatraz as a federal prison.
Trump views reopening Alcatraz as a symbol of law, order, and justice, recalling its past as a facility for dangerous criminals.
The plan has faced opposition from California officials, including Governor Gavin Newsom and state senator Scott Wiener, who question its feasibility and cost.
Rebuilding Alcatraz is estimated to cost over $2 billion, with the island currently lacking essential services like water, power, gas, and sewage systems.
Nancy Pelosi called the idea "stupid" and a waste of taxpayer dollars.
The $152 million represents the first year of funding for the restoration project, which is part of a larger $1.7 billion request for the Bureau of Prisons' facilities.
Alcatraz, known as 'the Rock,' was a maximum-security penitentiary from 1934 to 1963, closing due to high maintenance costs.
It is now a popular historical site attracting over a million tourists annually.

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