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Emigration and immigration

ICE Secretly Awards $4.2 Million per Month Contract to CoreCivic Amid Criticisms

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement used the pretext of a national emergency to justify a secret, no-bid contract with CoreCivic, a for-profit detention company, to house immigrants at its vacant Leavenworth prison. The contract, worth $4.2 million per month, was awarded despite widespread criticism of CoreCivic's track record of abuse and neglect of prisoners.

The secrecy and cost of the contract have outraged immigration advocates, who argue that it is unacceptable for taxpayer dollars to be used to fund private prisons that prioritize profits over human rights. "We just want to say we can overpay billionaires to house human beings on civil law violations," said Michael Sharma-Crawford, an immigration attorney. "I just don't even know where we go from here."

The justification for the contract, published by ICE on April 7, cited President Donald Trump's declaration of a national emergency at the southern border as a reason for bypassing normal bidding procedures. However, immigration advocates argue that this justification is a thinly veiled attempt to mask the true purpose of the contract: to line the pockets of billionaires with taxpayer dollars.

CoreCivic operated a federal pretrial prison in Leavenworth for over two decades, which was described by a U.S. District Judge as "an absolute hell hole" due to its routine violence and lengthy lockdowns. The facility closed in 2022 following the Biden administration's decision to end contracts with private prisons.

Key Takeaways:

  • ICE awarded a secret, no-bid contract to CoreCivic worth $4.2 million per month to house immigrants at its vacant Leavenworth prison.
  • The contract was justified by ICE as a response to President Trump's declaration of a national emergency at the southern border.
  • CoreCivic has a track record of abuse and neglect of prisoners.
  • Immigration advocates argue that the contract is a bailout for billionaires and priorities profits over human rights.
  • The city of Leavenworth has filed a lawsuit to block CoreCivic from reopening the facility as an immigration detention center.
  • The contract bypasses normal bidding procedures, sparking concerns about transparency and accountability.
  • ICE representatives did not respond to inquiries about the contract.

Statistics:

  • The contract is worth $4.2 million per month.
  • The facility had 10,312 beds, including 1,000 in Kansas.
  • The open competition for bids would take a year to complete, according to ICE documents.
  • The cost of the secret contracts is redacted.
  • The city of Leavenworth filed a lawsuit to block CoreCivic from reopening the facility in 2021.

Sources:

  • ICE internal paperwork, filed on April 7, 2023 (https://sam.gov/opp/e9aa4c41a123404fbfa22773026cdc99/view)
  • Kansas Reflector, "For-profit Kansas prison an understaffed hell hole of violence, death, and drugs," October 7, 2021 (https://kansasreflector.com/2021/10/07/for-profit-kansas-prison-an-understaffed-hell-hole-of-violence-death-and-drugs/)
  • U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson's court decision, 2021

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