US President Donald Trump said Sunday he had directed officials to rebuild and reopen Alcatraz prison, the notorious federal jail based on a small island offshore from San Francisco, in California, that shuttered six decades ago.
The jail will house 鈥淎merica鈥檚 most ruthless and violent Offenders鈥, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, adding that the institution will be 鈥渟ubstantially enlarged鈥.
Alcatraz closed in 1963 due to high operating costs after being open for just 29 years, according to the US Bureau of Prisons, and now serves as a tourist attraction.
Located 2km off the coast of San Francisco and with a capacity of just 336 prisoners, it held several well-known criminals, including Prohibition-era mob boss Al Capone, and saw many fantastical escape attempts by inmates.
Trump has made cracking down on crimes - particularly those committed by migrants - a key element of his second term in the White House.
鈥淲hen 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鈥檚 the way it鈥檚 supposed to be,鈥 Trump wrote on Sunday.
鈥淣o longer will we tolerate these Serial Offenders who spread filth, bloodshed, and mayhem on our streets.鈥
-Agence France-Presse
Take your Radio, Podcasts and Music with you
Get the iHeart App
Get more of the radio, music and podcasts you love with the FREE iHeartRadio app. Scan the QR code to download now.
Download from the app stores
Stream unlimited music, thousands of radio stations and podcasts all in one app. iHeartRadio is easy to use and all FREE
