Corporate owners of ICE lockups report drop in number of detained immigrants
Source: Scripps News
Posted 4:10 PM, May 08, 2026
The two largest for-profit owners of immigration detention centers are reporting the first dip in the number of detained immigrants since President Trump resumed office. CoreCivic and the GEO Group have each seen a decline of about 3,000 detainees since reaching peak levels in January, leaders of the companies reported this week during first quarter earnings calls.
They said the drop in population followed the leadership shakeup at the Department of Homeland Security when President Trump fired DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. They also pointed to the long partial government shutdown, when ICE reassigned agents to work in airports to help relieve TSA personnel who had been working without pay for weeks.
Both companies said they expect the detained immigrant population to bounce back within months.
“We believe this decline is temporary and event specific,” said Patrick Swindle, chief executive officer of CoreCivic. “While we cannot predict how quickly population growth will resume, the administration continues to indicate a strong emphasis on border security and active ICE enforcement. “
Read more: https://www.scrippsnews.com/politics/immigration/corporate-owners-of-ice-lockups-report-drop-in-number-of-detained-immigrants
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