White House requests $152 million to rebuild infamous Alcatraz prison

The White House has requested $152 million for a project to reopen the infamous Alcatraz prison in San Francisco Bay, California, as an operational prison, as part of a proposed budget for the 2027 fiscal year, Fox News reported on Saturday. US president Donald Trump proposed the $152 million to begin the project, which is part of a $1.7 billion prison system funding increase to improve pay and address staffing shortages.

Rebuilding Alcatraz into modern facility

The budget request includes funding to rebuild Alcatraz into a modern high-security prison, covering initial costs. Alcatraz, which was closed in the 1960s due to high operating costs, later became a tourist site but may now be rebuilt as a modern high-security prison. Initial funding has been proposed, though California politicians are skeptical over the costs and feasibility.

Pelosi: Plan is 'absurd'

Former House speaker Nancy Pelosi called the plan "absurd," stating that rebuilding Alcatraz would waste taxpayer money and insult the public's intelligence. The site currently generates about $60 million in annual revenue as a tourist attraction, according to the National Park Service. The request will need to be approved by the US Congress.