Record ICE Detentions Under Trump’s Second Term Spark Concern, Profit Windfall for Private Prisons

Washington, D.C., July 27, 2025 — The number of migrants detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) hit a historic high in June 2025, amid an aggressive expansion of the U.S. immigration detention system under President Donald Trump’s second administration.

According to official ICE data analyzed by AFP, a staggering 60,254 people were held in ICE custody last month — a sharp increase from 40,500 in January, just before Trump retook office. Alarmingly, 71% of those detained had no criminal record, up from 54% last year, revealing a broader scope in the government’s deportation drive.

A Booming Detention Industry
President Trump, re-elected in 2024, had vowed to execute the largest deportation effort in U.S. history. Backed by a record $45 billion ICE budget, the administration has rapidly scaled up detention operations:

Number of ICE facilities rose from 107 in January to 200 in June

Target set to expand bed capacity to 100,000 by year-end, more than double that of 2024

Opening of controversial new detention sites like “Alligator Alcatraz” — a camp built in the Florida Everglades surrounded by alligator-infested swamps

Trump has also proposed repurposing Guantanamo Bay into a 30,000-bed migrant facility, though only 22 detainees were held there on average in June.

Human Rights and Safety Concerns
The rapid expansion has prompted serious concerns from human rights organizations, including:

Human Rights Watch released a report this week detailing abusive conditions in several Florida facilities

Reports of migrants sleeping on floors, and women exposed to male guards and detainees

Use of soft-sided (tent) facilities, which are quick to build but lack basic privacy and safety protections

Private Prison Profits Surge
The surge in detentions is proving highly profitable for the private prison industry, which operates the majority of ICE facilities:

82% of detainees are now held in privately-run centers

Major players include The GEO Group (25 centers) and CoreCivic (17 centers)

GEO has signed two new ICE contracts since January and expanded another, expecting $153 million in additional annual revenue

Stocks in both companies have soared since Trump’s re-election:

GEO Group shares rose 75%

CoreCivic shares climbed 69%, reaching five-year highs

Political Ties and Donations
Both companies have deep ties to Republican leadership and the Trump campaign:

GEO Group donated $3.6 million to Republicans in 2024, including $1 million to a Trump-aligned PAC

CoreCivic contributed $784,974, largely to Republican candidates

GEO’s former lobbyist Pam Bondi now serves as U.S. Attorney General, raising further questions about conflicts of interest