Trump orders reopening of notorious Alcatraz prison1 day ago Share Save Gabriela Pomeroy BBC News Share SaveTrump explains his idea to reopen AlcatrazDonald Trump says he is directing his government to reopen and expand Alcatraz, the infamous former prison on an island near San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. The reopening of Alcatraz - once notorious as one of the US's toughest prisons - would serve as a "symbol of law, order, and justice," he said. The Department of Justice took it over in the 1930s and it began taking in convicts from the federal prison system. It was nearly three times more costly to operate than any other federal prison, largely due to its island location. Alcatraz has "a reputation as a tough prison" and Trump is trying to send a message that his administration will be tough on crime, Chin added.