Trump reverses Biden policy, reopens federal contracts with private prisons

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Trump signed an executive order on Monday reversing a Biden-era policy that barred the Justice Department from renewing contracts with private prison companies. The move reopens the door for private prison companies such as GEO Group and CoreCivic to house federal prisoners and marks a major shift in criminal justice policy. The Biden administration implemented Executive Order 14006 in 2021, directing the Department of Justice to phase out reliance on private prisons to operate prisons. By the time Biden left office, the policy had significantly reduced federal prisoners' use of private facilities, affecting about 14,000 people in such prisons. However, Trump's new order allows the Justice Department to re-contract with private prison operators, a move welcomed by the private prison industry. This change is not unexpected. GEO Group Executive Chairman George Zoley had expected a reversal if Trump won the 2024 election. “We have a feeling that (Trump) is going to overturn all of Biden's executive orders on day one,” Zolli, Trump's attorney general, said on a third-quarter investor call the day after the election. Nominator Pam Bondi also has ties to the industry and has previously lobbied on behalf of GEO Group. The decision directly affects the federal Bureau of Prisons, which oversees more than 150,000 inmates. Private prisons have been part of the federal system since the 1980s, originally used to house special needs prisoners and undocumented persons. Trump's reversal also clears the way for private prison companies to sign new contracts with the U.S. Marshals Service, which manages more than 60,000 people under its supervision. While the Biden administration is trying to reduce its reliance on private prisons, some of its directives have loopholes. For example, private prison companies maintain contracts through intergovernmental services agreements in which counties act as intermediaries to house individuals on behalf of the U.S. Marshals Service. Critics argue the workaround undermines Biden's policy, while supporters claim it is necessary to ensure detainees remain near courthouses and avoid higher transportation costs. Trump's reversal does not apply to private companies that run immigration detention centers. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continues to contract with private companies to house undocumented individuals in public and private facilities. The decision drew sharp criticism from criminal justice reform advocates, who argued that private prisons prioritize profit over rehabilitation and humane treatment. They also point to research showing that private prisons tend to have poorer conditions and less supervision than public prisons. However, proponents of private prisons say the industry plays a key role in addressing overcrowding and providing cost-effective housing for certain populations. They also believe that ending contracts with private prisons could lead to logistical challenges, such as relocating detainees further away from courthouses, as the Marshals Service has previously proposed. Like this: Like Loading… Discover more from Baller Alert Subscribe to get the latest posts delivered to your email.

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