Bondi's visit to Alcatraz, Trump's plan to reopen prison met with criticism, skepticism
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The Alcatraz visit by Trump administration officials has received a strong reaction from members of various communities here in the Bay Area.
Save the Bay Executive Director David Lewis spoke to ABC7 News about the possibility of Alcatraz being turned back into a federal prison.
He said it could cause a range of environmental issues but also addressed the serious challenges, including: a lack of sewage and power lines, the need for everything to be transported onto the island, and a crumbling infrastructure.
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"It'd be crazy to try and build a prison out there. Ridiculously expensive, dangerous and also not good for the Bay," Lewis said.
Beyond the logistical issues, there's also a cultural significance that makes this idea unpopular among some Bay Area residents.
"Alcatraz is an important part of our history. It's a starting point for our rights and our contemporary movement for self-determination," said Julian Brave NoiseCat.
NoiseCat is a Native American writer and director.
Back in 2019, he helped organize a canoe journey around the island on Indigenous Peoples' Day.
NoiseCat says Alcatraz remains critically important to many Indigenous Americans, as well as their vision for what the U.S. should stand for.
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"A vision for plurality, diversity and for honoring the founding commitments of this country, including the treaties with the over 500 native nations that called the United States home," NoiseCat said.
Others in the city worry about the impact closing Alcatraz to the public could have on the city's economy.
Edward Siu runs a travel agency in Chinatown.
He tells us Alcatraz is one of the most requested attractions for both foreign and domestic tourists in San Francisco.
He says if that goes away, his business would suffer.
"The island right now is for the tourists. We have a lot of business, a lot of tour business to bring over there. It's a part of income to us. Why would they cut it off?" said Siu.
A view also shared by many visitors.
Outside Alcatraz City Cruises, we met Sylvia Sanchez and her daughter Annie, who say they came to San Francisco just to see Alcatraz.
Sanchez tells us she thinks that instead of converting the island, the president would be better off reopening other facilities.
"Where I'm from, there are plenty of prisons out there that are abandoned that he could utilize," said Sanchez.
