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Did ice hire contractors to detain immigrants
Executive summary
ICE routinely uses contractors to run detention facilities and to carry out supporting services; reporting and government pages show private companies operate many jails that hold ICE detainees and that contractors recruit for detention jobs (e.g., detention officers, medical staff) [1] [2]. Multiple outlets document a surge in detainees and the prominent role of private contractors such as GEO Group, CoreCivic, and others in housing and transporting people for ICE [3] [4] [5].
1. Who “detains” people for ICE — agency staff or contractors?
ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) manages the federal civil immigration detention system but explicitly notes that facilities housing ICE detainees can be owned and operated by ICE, state/local entities, or contractors; all such facilities must meet detention standards regardless of operator [1]. That means detention can and does occur inside contractor-run prisons and jails—even as ICE retains operational oversight [1].
2. Evidence contractors are actively hired to staff ICE detention operations
Local reporting found private contractors advertising detention jobs tied to ICE custody in communities considering new facilities: a Texas firm and Acuity International posted listings for detention officers and medical/administrative roles in Newport, Oregon, with duties described as “care, custody, and control of those in ICE custody” [2]. That local job advertising is direct evidence that contractors recruit staff to work in spaces where ICE holds people [2].
3. Contractors are central to the detention and deportation ecosystem
Investigations and industry reporting show private companies are deeply embedded across detention and removal functions: CoreCivic and GEO Group operate detention facilities; aviation contractors like CSI Aviation run deportation flights; and industry players bid for construction, operation, and support contracts tied to ICE expansion [5] [4]. Coverage cites that a large share of new construction and refitting projects are controlled by private firms and that these entities benefit from federal operating contracts [4].
4. Scale: how many people are in contractor-run or contractor-supported detention?
Multiple sources document record-high detention populations—figures cited include about 65,000–66,000 people in ICE custody in late 2025—which ICE holds “in various facilities, including many run by private-sector contractors,” underscoring the scale at which contractors are involved [3] [6] [4]. Reporting linking contractor involvement to the nationwide detention total makes clear this is not a marginal practice [3] [6].
5. Legal and political context that shapes contractor use
Courts, watchdogs, and advocacy groups are litigating conditions and contracts: a federal judge ordered improvements at a specific facility and other lawsuits target contractor practices, while the Supreme Court heard arguments over contractor immunity in litigation about detainee labor [4] [7]. That litigation illustrates competing views: contractors argue they are carrying out government work and deserve protections, while advocates and courts scrutinize conditions and accountability [7] [4].
6. Alternative viewpoints and reporting tensions
Some outlets stress ICE central control and oversight responsibilities (agency pages emphasize ERO management and standards) while investigative and local reporting highlights contractors’ operational role and hiring activity—both can be true simultaneously: ICE oversees a system that relies heavily on private operators [1] [2] [4]. Where sources differ is on responsibility and accountability: ICE materials emphasize compliance standards [1]; investigative reporting and lawsuits emphasize contractor-driven problems and potential gaps in oversight [4] [7].
7. What the available sources do not mention
Available sources do not mention any specific, verifiable instance in which ICE directly contracted an external firm solely to perform the act of detaining people in the field (for example, hiring contractors to conduct arrests in communities) rather than to staff or run detention facilities, operate flights, or provide surveillance and support services; that specific claim is not covered in the current reporting set (not found in current reporting).
8. Bottom line for the original query (“Did ICE hire contractors to detain immigrants?”)
Yes: reporting and ICE documentation show ICE operates a detention system where private contractors run facilities, staff detention roles, provide medical and transport services, and are actively recruiting personnel to work “care, custody, and control” functions for ICE detainees [1] [2] [5]. Public records and journalism also show that contractors are central to the modern detention and deportation apparatus, even as debates over oversight, conditions, and legal responsibility continue in courts and the press [4] [7] [3].