Supreme Court to Review Case on Detainee Compensation in Private Prisons
The United States Supreme Court has decided to review an appeal by a private prison firm, the GEO Group, which is facing a lawsuit over allegations that immigration detainees in Colorado were coerced into labor for minimal wages. The case raises significant questions about detainee rights and compensation standards.
The lawsuit, originating in 2014, accuses the GEO Group of requiring detainees to engage in unpaid janitorial tasks and other jobs for as little as $1 per day as a means to supplement inadequate meals. The company, however, contends that its payment practices align with the regulations set by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and argues that the legal challenges are indirectly aimed at opposing federal immigration policies.
The GEO Group is seeking immunity from the lawsuit, asserting that as it operates the Aurora, Colorado, facility on behalf of the federal government, it should be shielded from such legal actions. The company’s legal team argues that issues of governmental contractor immunity should be promptly addressed in appellate courts.
Conversely, attorneys representing the detainees argue that the lawsuit focuses purely on fair compensation, emphasizing that the contract did not necessitate the low wages paid to the detainees. A lower court judge has allowed the lawsuit to proceed, and the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals declined to review the immunity claim ahead of trial.
GEO Group, headquartered in Florida, is a leading private detention provider in the U.S., managing approximately 77,000 beds across 98 facilities. The company recently garnered attention when Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested during a protest at one of its federal immigration detention centers.
This case is not isolated, as similar lawsuits have been filed in other states. Notably, in Washington state, a case resulted in a ruling requiring the GEO Group to pay over $23 million in damages. The Supreme Court’s decision to hear this appeal could have significant implications for immigration detention practices nationwide.
Associated Press writer Mike Catalini contributed to this report from Trenton, New Jersey.
