ARTICLE AD BOX
President Donald Trump has ordered the reopening of the infamous Alcatraz island prison offshore from San Francisco, California, which once housed the Chicago mobster Al Capone but closed in 1963 and is now a tourist attraction.
“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,” the Republican wrote.
“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.”
The president insisted the step was necessary in order to ensure Americans “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.”
Trump also expressed his frustration on Sunday with the legal system holding up his efforts to deport suspected illegal immigrants by insisting on due process being followed.
“So many of these radicalized judges, they want to have trials for every single person in our country illegally,” he complained.
Trump’s Alcatraz proposal is ‘not a serious one’, says Nancy Pelosi
The former House speaker, a San Francisco resident, has dismissed the president’s plan to reopen the storied federal penitentiary turned local tourist hot spot as fundamentally unserious.
Joe Sommerlad5 May 2025 09:35
Trump orders reopening and expansion of notorious Alcatraz prison
President Donald Trump has ordered the reopening of the infamous Alcatraz island prison offshore from San Francisco, California, which once housed the Chicago mobster Al Capone but closed in 1963.
“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,” the Republican wrote.
“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.”
The president insisted the step was necessary in order to ensure Americans “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.”
Kelly Rissman reports.
Joe Sommerlad5 May 2025 09:20
Hello and welcome!
Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of Donald Trump’s administration.
Joe Sommerlad5 May 2025 09:05
English (US) ·