A proposal to reopen Alcatraz as a high-security federal prison includes an initial $152 million request in the 2027 budget to cover the first year of restoration, staffing, and operations.

The plan envisions using Alcatraz to incarcerate the nation’s most dangerous offenders, signaling a hardline law-and-order stance and presenting the move as a symbolic measure against crime.

Dated discussions trace back to a May of last year when Trump publicly floated reactivating Alcatraz, and this latest budget entry is framed as pursuing that agenda through the Bureau of Prisons and Justice Department.

Congressional approval remains uncertain due to budget priorities, partisan divisions, and competing needs across infrastructure, healthcare, and defense.

Analysts warn the project would be costly and complex, with unresolved questions about feasibility, legality, and potential impacts on tourism and heritage status; no total cost beyond the initial request has been disclosed.

The Associated Press contributed to coverage of the proposal.

Critics include Governor Gavin Newsom, who called it a colossally bad fiscal idea, and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who dismissed it as wasteful and ill-conceived.

The budget request is a funding entry aimed at covering first-year costs if authorized, with lawmakers typically treating such requests as recommendations rather than mandates.

Alcatraz currently lacks basic utilities, underscoring logistical challenges for any restoration effort.

The proposal faces political and budgetary hurdles given Alcatraz’s status as a major tourist and historic site attracting over a million visitors annually, with critics worrying about cost and jeopardizing heritage status.

Feasibility studies have been conducted, but no final decision has been made; political resistance could arise from competing priorities and the island’s historic tourism role.

Supporters highlight symbolic value for law and order, while critics warn symbolism cannot substitute broad policy reform in crime and justice.