Will tourists be the first to flee Alcatraz with Trump's reopening?

Alcatraz

For decades, Alcatraz has been synonymous with absolute isolation, escape legends and exemplary punishment. But now, the Bay Area icon is back in the news with a new purpose. During his second term, President Donald Trump announced a controversial plan: to reopen Alcatraz as a maximum-security prison for criminals deemed “unredeemable.”

The proposal, wrapped in populist rhetoric and promises of “total law and order,” has shocked the international community, divided experts and raised a provocative question: Will tourists — who for years have visited the island as a historic landmark — be the first to flee a new Alcatraz?

Alcatraz: From Prison to Tourist Attraction, and Back Again?

Closed in 1963, Alcatraz federal prison was, for 29 years, the forced home of some of the most feared criminals in the United States, such as Al Capone and Robert Stroud. Since the 1970s, the island has become one of California's most popular tourist destinations, receiving more than a million visitors each year.

However, with Donald Trump's proposal to convert the island into a prison, plans for historical tours and scenic admiring have given way to security fences, patrol helicopters and fiery speeches about exemplary punishment.

Trump's announcement: security, spectacle and political calculation

In a speech broadcast live from the White House, Trump said that “the time has come to bring back true criminal deterrence” and that “the worst of the worst should know that there is one place they cannot escape from: Alcatraz.”

The project includes structural reforms to the original complex, the installation of state-of-the-art surveillance systems and the transfer of inmates considered highly dangerous, including gang leaders, drug lords and those involved in complex federal crimes.

According to Trump, Alcatraz will be "a symbol of American justice, which is not afraid to act decisively." However, critics say the measure is more of a media stunt than a legitimate criminal solution.

Public reaction: divided support, growing concern

The proposal has caused a storm of opinion on social media and in the media. Polls conducted by the Gallup Institute indicate that 48% of the American population supports the idea of reopening maximum security prisons in isolated locations; however, 42% classify the measure as “authoritarian” or “unfeasible”.

Human rights experts say the idea violates principles of rehabilitation and reintegration into society. “Trump is resurrecting an era of medieval punishment, based on fear rather than justice,” said Columbia University legal scholar Amanda Keller.

Tourism under threat: the end of the postcard?

Converting Alcatraz into a prison would have a direct impact on the tourism industry in the San Francisco region, which makes millions of dollars a year from guided tours, museums and cultural activities on the island.

Local business owners are already warning of losses. “If the prison reopens, no one will want to visit Alcatraz as a tourist anymore. Reservations have already started to drop since the announcement,” said Rick Morrell, owner of a local travel agency.

San Francisco, which traditionally voted against Trump and is home to progressive movements, has vowed political and legal resistance to the project. “Turning a symbol of remembrance into an active prison is a historic setback,” Mayor London Breed said.

Legal and structural issues: is it feasible to reactivate Alcatraz as a prison?

From a technical point of view, the reactivation of Alcatraz as a penitentiary presents several obstacles. The island's structure is old and degraded, with serious plumbing, energy and logistical problems.

Studies by the National Park Service itself indicate that the cost of making the island functional as a prison would exceed 1.2 billion dollars. In addition, there are environmental restrictions, as Alcatraz is home to protected species and is classified as a cultural and natural heritage site.

Still, Trump insists that the reconstruction will be funded “with private resources and patriotic partnerships,” although there is no confirmation so far of which companies are involved.

A symbolic prison for a policy of exception

More than just locking up criminals, analysts say Trump wants to lock up narratives. Alcatraz, as a symbol, represents toughness, control and the impossibility of escape — an image that appeals to his conservative base.

The plan also aligns with other projects of the current administration, such as the expansion of detention centers for immigrants, proposals for harsher penalties and attacks on the judicial system considered “lenient”.

For political scientist Noah Greene of the University of Chicago, “Trump is rehabilitating not just a prison, but a model of punishment that prioritizes spectacle over effectiveness.” He says the project is part of a strategy to reinforce presidential authority.

Tourists' fear: silent escape from Alcatraz?

Interestingly, the first to reject the new Alcatraz are tourists. Since the announcement, tour operators have reported mass cancellations and itinerary changes.

“We have been receiving emails from tourists saying that they do not feel comfortable visiting a place that is going to be reactivated as a real prison. It is as if the place has lost its historical value to become a political show,” says tour guide Helena Robbins.

Social media has also been filled with criticism. The hashtag #AlcatrazNeverAgain has gone viral among activists and influencers. Many are wondering whether it will be possible to visit a museum on an island where prisoners will once again be incarcerated.

International reactions: human rights on alert

Organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch issued statements of repudiation of the project, warning of the creation of “extreme punishment zones” in violation of international treaties.

“Using Alcatraz as a prison for criminals considered irredeemable creates a separate human category, which is unacceptable under international law,” said Chilean jurist Teresa Larraín, of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

The future of Alcatraz: prison, museum or political symbol?

Trump’s proposal challenges not only American history, but also our perception of what justice means in the 21st century. By bringing back a symbolic prison, the president is sending a clear message: security at any cost, even if it means burying the historical and cultural memory of a place that has long been a symbol of reflection.

For advocates of reopening, Alcatraz represents a return to steadfastness. For critics, it is a portrait of a politics of fear and theatrics.

Conclusion: Who will actually be imprisoned in Alcatraz?

The debate over whether to reopen Alcatraz goes beyond bars and walls. It is a dispute over narratives, values and symbols. While Trump seeks to rebuild a fortress against crime, many see it as a fortress against the very evolution of justice.

If tourists are fleeing Alcatraz, perhaps it is not out of fear of criminals, but out of fear that history is being hijacked in the name of a politics of exception.

Do you think Alcatraz should be turned back into a prison? Or should it remain a historic landmark? Leave your opinion in the comments and support our Blog here to read more exclusive analysis and reflections on politics, history and society in the Americas.

References:

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL. Public statement on the proposal to reopen Alcatraz as a prison. London: AI, 2025. Available at: https://www.amnesty.org. Accessed: May 5, 2025.

GALLUP. American Opinions on Prison Reform and Symbolic Justice Policies. Washington, DC: Gallup Institute, 2025. Available at: https://www.gallup.com. Accessed on: May 5, 2025.

GREENE, Noah. The Return of the Punitive Symbolism in American Politics. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2024.

HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH. Report on the use of prisons in places of historical and cultural significance. New York: HRW, 2025. Available at: https://www.hrw.org. Accessed on: May 5, 2025.

KELLER, Amanda. Human Rights and Punitive Populism in the USA. New York: Columbia Law Review, v. 97, n. 2, p. 110-125, 2025.

LARRAÍN, Teresa. The exception and symbolic imprisonment: the Alcatraz case. Santiago: Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), 2025.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE. Structural Report on Alcatraz Island. Washington, DC: NPS/US Department of the Interior, 2023. Available at: https://www.nps.gov/alca. Accessed on: May 5, 2025.

WHITE HOUSE. Presidential Address on National Security and Penal Reform. Washington, DC: Office of the President, 2025. Available at: https://www.whitehouse.gov. Accessed on: May 5, 2025.