Private Prison Companies Report Increased Revenue Amid Rising Immigration Detentions

Why it matters locally: While no CoreCivic facilities are currently active in Virginia, the national trend of increased immigration detentions and private prison revenue could have implications for federal immigration policies that affect Virginia's immigrant population and any potential future federal contracting for detention facilities within the state.

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Private prison companies have reported significant financial figures. One company, CoreCivic, stated its operations generated more than $1.4 billion in revenue. In addition to operational revenue, CoreCivic recorded an extra $1.6 billion from the sale of four of its facilities. The Department of Homeland Security acquired these properties from the company. This financial reporting emerges as immigration detention numbers have increased throughout the United States. The CoreCivic, Inc. California City Immigration Processing Center in California City, California, is one such facility. The center, located in the Kern County desert, awaits reopening as a federal immigrant detention facility under a contract with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).