The Justice Department ordered the Bureau of Prisons to begin phasing out the use of private prisons – inhumane profit machines where the bottom line is often more important than people’s lives. Our justice system must be rid of them – and this is an amazing first step!
With momentum on our side from this victory, let’s turn to the next challenge: the Department of Homeland Security’s even more lucrative system of for-profit immigration detention centers.
Add your name and demand that DHS follow the Justice Department’s example and phase out private prisons.
DHS is the private prison industry’s single biggest client. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency oversees dozens of immigration detention facilities operated by the same companies that will soon lose their Bureau of Prisons contracts. On average, these private prisons hold more than 24,000 people per day – more than 62% of ICE’s total detainees. And while the federal prison population has decreased in recent years, ICE has actually increased the number of people in its detention centers.
Take action to end the abuses of private prisons – tell DHS to phase them out NOW.
We already know that private prisons are a recipe for abuse and unsafe conditions – and these prison profiteers’ first priority is to pay dividends to their shareholders. As long as costs are low and profit is high, the private prison industry is happy. But the Justice Department’s announcement caused their stock prices to plummet, so they’ll do anything they can to hang on to their current contracts – including the billion-dollar contract to detain Central American mothers and children in a modern-day internment camp.
The Justice Department made it clear that there is nothing just or fair about private prisons. A standard has been set – and DHS must adhere to it. We will no longer tolerate our tax dollars propping up the abusive and inhumane private prison industry.
That’s why we need to strike while the iron is hot.
Add your name to tell DHS to immediately start phasing out all contracts with private prison companies.
Thanks for taking action and helping to put an end to prison profiteers,
Anthony for the ACLU Action team
