Trump’s Mass Deportation Plan Set to Fuel Private Prison Industry’s Unprecedented Expansion
Donald Trump has made achieving “energy dominance” key to his economic pitch.Kamil Krzaczynski / AFP – Getty Images
One of President-elect Donald Trump’s key campaign promises—to carry out “the largest domestic deportation operation in American history”—is poised to deliver massive profits to the private prison industry. According to a Wall Street Journal report published on Sunday, December 22, companies providing detention services are gearing up to capitalize on the initiative.
The report reveals that private prisons are already positioning themselves to expand their capacity in anticipation of Trump’s immigration crackdown. “Private prisons and other companies that provide detention services are getting ready to cash in on” the plan, which involves securing as many detention beds as possible and scouting sites for new facilities to house detained migrants, the WSJ reports.
WSJ reports:
CoreCivic, the other major player in ICE detention centers, had a similar message for investors after the election. The company believes it could quickly bring its detention capacity to 25,000 beds by bringing unused ones online, including at a facility previously used to hold families in Dilley, Texas, CEO Damon Hininger said in an interview. The Biden administration chose to close the site earlier this year, but CoreCivic kept it in ‘warm status,’ Hininger said.
George Zoley, executive chairman of GEO Group, one of the largest private prison companies, described the opportunity as unparalleled. “This is, to us, an unprecedented opportunity,” Zoley reportedly told investors shortly after Trump’s election. The company, which currently houses about 40% of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainees, sees the potential to double its services, Zoley said during the call.
GEO’s Chief Executive Officer, Wayne Calabrese, echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the company’s readiness to meet ICE’s expanding demands. “We have assured ICE of our capability to rapidly scale up to monitor and oversee several hundreds of thousands, or even several millions, of individuals,” Calabrese stated.
CoreCivic, another major player in the private prison industry, is similarly preparing to ramp up its operations. According to the WSJ, CEO Damon Hininger confirmed that the company is identifying existing beds it can make available and exploring the construction of new facilities, including temporary structures on land it already owns.
To strengthen its ties with the incoming Trump administration, GEO Group has enlisted the services of Continental Strategy LLC, a lobbying firm with close connections to Trump. The firm is run by Carlos Trujillo, a former adviser to Trump on Latino voters and immigration issues, and employs Katie Wiles, daughter of Trump’s chief of staff Susie Wiles.
As Trump prepares to assume office, his deportation promise is already reshaping the private prison industry. Critics argue that the expanding influence of such companies raises ethical concerns about profiting from immigration enforcement, while supporters view it as a practical response to the administration’s priorities. Regardless of perspective, the economic and social ramifications of this initiative are likely to be significant.
