On May 4, 2025, President Donald J Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, the following:
REBUILD, AND OPEN ALCATRAZ! 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.
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. No longer will we tolerate these Serial Offenders who spread filth, bloodshed, and mayhem on our streets.
That is why, today, I am directing the Bureau of Prisons, together with the Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security, to reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt ALCATRAZ, to house America’s most ruthless and violent Offenders. We 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. The reopening of ALCATRAZ will serve as a symbol of Law, Order, and JUSTICE. We will, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
Pretty much nothing is as it appears on the surface to be any longer.
While reusing the island of Alcatraz is certainly flavored with the joyful anticipation of accountability, it’s not very sensible as a high-security prison concept. The practical and financial barriers make it less viable than a new build would be, if we really still need to have prisons.
For the moment, we unfortunately do need them.
Alcatraz is better suited as an historical site or tourist attraction, so what is Trump signaling? On the surface, it looks like he’s going to bring back Alcatraz. In reality, he might just be planning to do exactly what Lincoln did, suspend habeas corpus.
Apparently the only thing that can stop radical judges.
The writ of habeas corpus is a legal order that requires a person under arrest to be brought before a court to determine if their detention is lawful. It protects against arbitrary imprisonment by ensuring a judicial review of the detention’s legality.
Abraham Lincoln suspended the writ of habeas corpus on April 27, 1861, early in the Civil War, to address rebellion and ensure public safety. This allowed military authorities to detain individuals without immediate judicial review, primarily in border states and areas of unrest. The suspension was later expanded and formalized by Congress in 1863 under the Habeas Corpus Suspension Act.
Forcing the US taxpayer to foot the bill for “due process” for criminal illegal aliens, and by the many thousands…well it’s a dream out of team dark’s playbook to jam up all the court systems everywhere while continuing to bleed the country dry.
No can do. Tom Homan and ICE are certainly rounding up the most dangerous infiltrators, and they’re being processed appropriately for the safety and well being of our country and her citizens. That is as it should be. To have an issue with removing these people from society is insanity.
For context, I asked Grok for a brief and bullet-pointed history of Alcatraz:
- Pre-1850: Used by Native Americans, likely for fishing and resource gathering; named “Isla de los Alcatraces” (Island of the Pelicans) by Spanish explorer Juan Manuel de Ayala in 1775.
- 1850s: U.S. Army establishes a military fort; lighthouse built in 1854, first on the Pacific Coast.
- 1861-1898: Serves as a military prison during the Civil War and Spanish-American War.
- 1907: Officially designated as a U.S. Army disciplinary barracks.
- 1933: Transferred to the Federal Bureau of Prisons due to strong currents and isolation, ideal for a high-security prison.
- 1934-1963: Operates as a federal penitentiary, housing notorious criminals like Al Capone, Robert Stroud (“Birdman”), and George “Machine Gun” Kelly.
- 1946: Site of the violent “Battle of Alcatraz,” a failed escape attempt killing two guards and three inmates.
- 1962: Famous escape by Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers; their fate remains unknown.
- 1963: Prison closes due to high operating costs and deteriorating facilities.
- 1969-1971: Occupied by Native American activists, led by the Indians of All Tribes, demanding land rights; longest occupation lasts 19 months.
- 1972-Present: Part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, managed by the National Park Service; now a major tourist attraction and historic site.