Trump's Alcatraz Prison Plan: $152M Proposed

0:00It's April 3rd. This is U.S. News Today, powered by AI Your Country, in real time. I'm Cory with the story. President Trump just asked Congress for $152 million to kick off rebuilding Alcatraz as a high-tech prison. This is in his proposed 2027 budget, aiming to turn the old San Francisco Bay Island into a top security spot for the worst offenders. He's been pushing this idea since last year, calling it a symbol of getting tough on crime. People say it'd be a supermax built from the ground up. Part of a bigger justice department plan to boost prisons and law enforcement. Alcatraz ran as a federal pen from 1934 until 1963, holding big names like Al Capone. It shut down because costs were triple, what other spots ran, everything from water had to vote in. Now it's a national park service gem, pulling over a million tourists a year. Total rebuild could hit $2 billion, and critics are slamming the price tag and logistics on their rocky island.

1:01Feasibility studies are done, but Congress has to greenlight it amid budget fights and its tourist fame. Word is, this could modernize federal lockups if it flies, but political pushback looms large as priorities clash. Keep an eye on how this tough on crime plays shakes out.