Episode 285: The Big Business of Immigration Detention

The number of people held in immigration detention centers in the U.S. has exploded in recent years, reaching record highs under multiple administrations. And thanks to the Republican-led budget bill that became law in July, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency has seen a major influx of federal funding, further fueling the expansion of detentions. Professor Nancy Hiemstra explains how detention became a multi-billion-dollar industry, breaking down who profits, who pays, and how communities across the country, not just along the border, have become tied to detention economies. 

For more on this topic:

• Check out Hiemstra’s book with co-author Deirdre Conlon, Immigration Detention Inc.: The Big Business of Locking up Migrants

• Read the op-ed they co-authored in Newsweek: People Will Die at Alligator Alcatraz

• Read their SSN brief: How Expanded Migrant Detention Drives Profiteering and Leads to Tougher Immigration Policies