Construction of Trump's Camp Ahead
The Pentagon has begun construction on the largest U.S. detention center for illegal immigrants near the border with Mexico, marking a significant shift in the administration's anti-immigration policy. This new center, located on a military base in El Paso, Texas, covering over 1 million acres, is expected to be the largest federal detention center in history for the important task of deporting illegal immigrants.
The construction of this new center is part of the new administration's broader plans to tighten immigration control. Upon completion, the center will be able to accommodate 1,000 illegal immigrants awaiting deportation, with plans to increase this number to 5,000 in the future. Two more military bases in New Jersey and Indiana are planned for similar purposes.
The main beneficiaries of this project are private companies involved in the construction of tent camps. The American Civil Liberties Union is involved in monitoring the activities of these detention centers.
The "big, beautiful" budget bill signed by President Donald Trump has allocated around $175 billion to ICE for combating illegal immigration over the next four years. The annual budget for migrant detention has increased almost fourfold - from $3.5 billion to approximately $11.3 billion.
ICE opened 40 new detention facilities during Trump's first term. The main private companies benefiting from the construction and operation of the largest U.S. detention center for illegal immigrants near the Mexico border are CoreCivic and GEO Group. These two are the largest private immigration detention companies and hold multi-million dollar contracts with ICE, managing a significant portion of immigration detention facilities in the U.S.
Regarding their political donations, CoreCivic, GEO Group, their subsidiaries, and executives have collectively donated nearly $2.8 million to former President Trump's 2024 election efforts and inaugural fund. GEO Group’s wholly-owned subsidiary alone contributed $1 million to support Trump. These contributions have closely preceded substantial government contracts and financial gains for these companies, raising concerns about ethics and possible "pay-to-play" dynamics.
In addition to donations, these companies invest heavily in federal lobbying to influence anti-immigrant legislation, which supports their business model based on increased detention and deportation policies. CoreCivic's president, Damon Hininger, donated $300,000 to support Republicans, including Trump, over the past year.
Here's a summary of the roles, political donations, and additional activities of CoreCivic and GEO Group:
| Company | Role | Political Donations | Additional Activities | |------------|------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------| | CoreCivic | Manages multiple detention centers; contracts with ICE | Part of $2.8 million donations linked to Trump’s campaigns | Federal lobbying for anti-immigrant policies | | GEO Group | Manages detention centers; contracts with ICE | Includes $1 million from a subsidiary supporting Trump | Federal lobbying, contract expansions |
Both companies have a history of receiving lucrative contracts soon after making large political contributions, highlighting a clear financial benefit from expanded detention policies under the Trump administration.
GEO Group's revenue grew from $2.2 billion in 2016 to $2.3 billion in 2020. The Obama administration also used U.S. military bases to house unaccompanied migrant children. The construction of this new center marks a significant escalation in the government's approach to immigration control.
The allocation of $175 billion in the budget bill to ICE for combating illegal immigration over the next four years indicates the government's prioritization of policy-and-legislation aimed at controlling immigration. CoreCivic and GEO Group, the largest private immigration detention companies, have donated nearly $2.8 million to former President Trump's 2024 election efforts and inaugural fund, raising concerns about politics influencing the awarding of contracts.
These two companies, CoreCivic and GEO Group, manage multiple detention centers that are contracted with ICE, and have a history of receiving lucrative contracts soon after making large political contributions. This suggests a possible correlation between political donations and the expansion of detention policies, a matter of general-news interest.
