A leading contractor that operates immigration detention centers for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) privately sought changes to federal detention standards that could strengthen its position in ongoing lawsuits over detainee labor, according to a report by The Washington Post.
The report says GEO Group, one of ICE's largest contractors, asked the agency to remove language requiring contractors to comply with certain state and local laws governing detainee treatment and to clarify that detainees are not employees. GEO has faced lawsuits in several states alleging that it violates minimum-wage laws by paying some detainees as little as $1 per day for work performed inside detention facilities.
The revised ICE detention standards, published this week, include language stating that detainees are not employees and "are not entitled to wages or benefits under applicable wage laws or labor regulations." The new standards also remove references requiring contractors to comply with some state and local laws and no longer specify that detainees must be paid at least $1 per day.
According to The Washington Post, GEO also proposed language that would have required the government to reimburse contractors for legal losses tied to wage lawsuits, though that recommendation was not included in the final standards.
The Department of Homeland Security said ICE consulted multiple stakeholders during the revision process, including facility operators. "ICE considered that input alongside operational, legal and policy requirements when making a final decision on the standards," DHS spokeswoman Lauren Bis told the newspaper.
The changes come as GEO Group's role in the immigration detention system continues to expand. NPR recently reported that roughly one-third of all people held in immigration detention are housed in GEO-operated facilities and that nearly half of the company's revenue comes from ICE contracts. GEO reported more than $250 million in profit in 2025 as the Trump administration expanded detention capacity nationwide.
The company's influence has also drawn scrutiny because several current and former immigration officials, including acting ICE Director David Venturella and border czar Tom Homan, previously worked for GEO. Sen. Elizabeth Warren has questioned whether detention policies could be influenced by the financial interests of contractors with close ties to government officials.
Questions about detainee labor have received renewed attention at GEO's Delaney Hall detention center in Newark, New Jersey. Detainees recently organized a labor strike protesting working conditions and wages that range from $1 to $4 per day for jobs including cleaning, food service and laundry work, as Mother Jones reported.
GEO has described the program as voluntary and says its facilities operate under ICE oversight and comply with federal standards.
