The head of a private prison group that operates 23 immigration detention facilities has labeled lawsuits over confinement conditions as "fundamentally unconstitutional." GEO Group CEO George Zoley made the remarks during a quarterly earnings call, noting the company currently detains approximately 21,000 individuals in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, representing about one-third of all ICE detainees.
Detainees in several facilities have filed lawsuits against GEO Group and the federal government, alleging inhumane conditions. Zoley stated, "There has been litigation regarding overseeing of medical services, food services, general cleanliness, etc. It's really unprecedented and, I believe it's fundamentally unconstitutional." GEO Group did not respond to requests for clarification on what specifically is unconstitutional about the lawsuits.
In one ongoing case, current and former immigration detainees in Aurora, Colorado, claim they were forced to clean the facility without pay or risk solitary confinement. Those in a voluntary work program received $1 per day for tasks like food preparation and laundry. GEO Group has unsuccessfully argued immunity as a federal contractor.
At the Adelanto ICE Processing Center in California, operated by GEO Group, detainees sued the federal government earlier this year, alleging denial of medical care, outdoor access, adequate food and water, and unsanitary living conditions. One detainee with mobility issues from a prior stroke stated, "I am very worried about my health in Adelanto. It feels like the medical staff have no intention of truly helping me with my medical issues." He added, "The guards call us by our A-numbers and it seems like to them, we are just numbers, not people. I worry that they are going to let me die in here."
Zoley also noted that some "blue states" are considering more active oversight of facilities. He suggested the "logical solution" would be for the federal government to own detention facilities rather than private firms, citing the Constitution's Supremacy Clause. He indicated GEO Group would prioritize continuing support services at any facility sold to ICE.
Multiple lawsuits against the federal government over detention conditions are ongoing, with federal judges sometimes siding with detainees. Carmen Iguina Gonzalez of the ACLU's National Prison Project stated, "The constitution does not give the federal government carte blanche to violate detained individuals' rights. The only unconstitutional conduct here is from ICE and private prison companies like GEO Group."
The Trump administration has made mass detention a key immigration policy, often emphasizing the harshness of detention to pressure individuals to waive legal rights and leave the U.S. This has proven lucrative for GEO Group. Zoley reported that in 2025 the company was awarded new or expanded contracts worth up to $520 million in annual revenues, the largest single-year new business in company history.
Although immigration detention is not intended to be punitive, individuals who have experienced both state prison and immigration detention report worse conditions in the latter. Over 30 people died in ICE custody last year, the highest since 2004, and the death rate continues to climb. A 33-year-old Cuban man, Denny Adan Gonzalez, died last week, marking the 18th death in ICE custody this year. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has reduced oversight, with the Department of Homeland Security shutting down an office investigating misconduct and abuse in immigration detention, according to an internal email.
