Which private companies hold the largest ICE contracts and what services do those contracts cover?
Executive summary
Private companies that hold the largest visible contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement include long-established detention operators like GEO Group and CoreCivic, major IT and communications contractors such as CACI, AT&T, Dell Federal and Motorola Solutions, and a newly prominent cohort of smaller firms winning high-value “skip tracing” and logistics awards; these contracts cover detention and transportation, tactical communications, IT/cloud services, surveillance and data analytics, delivery and facilities supplies [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]. Reporting and public-contract databases show a mix of multi-year prime awards (for detention bed space and communications) and many task orders or potential-value awards (for tracing, cyber defense and software licensing), but publicly available sources do not always produce a single, definitive ranked list [6] [7].
1. Who takes the biggest slices: private prisons and detention operators
GEO Group is repeatedly identified as ICE’s largest contractor, operating and reactivating facilities and reporting hundreds of millions in revenue tied to detention work, and CoreCivic likewise ranks among the top beneficiaries as ICE expands bed capacity and reopens centers [1] [2]. Regional firms such as LaSalle Corrections have also secured very large awards to build or manage emergency detention centers, with one LaSalle contract reportedly worth up to $125 million in recent procurements [8].
2. Communications and tactical systems: CACI, Motorola Solutions and the comms backbone
CACI holds a major contract for tactical communications operations and maintenance — an award reported at roughly $119.9 million that could grow — while Motorola Solutions was awarded a $15.6 million contract to implement and maintain ICE’s tactical communication infrastructure; both contracts support mission-critical voice and data links for ICE field operations [3] [9]. AT&T and other telecoms are cited as providing broader IT and networking services to DHS components, with reporting noting sizable, multi-year IT/network contracts that function as part of the agency’s digital backbone [10] [2].
3. IT, cloud, analytics and surveillance: Palantir, Dell, Microsoft, and cloud providers
Companies providing cloud, analytics and enterprise software figure prominently: Dell Federal was contracted to support ICE’s office of the CIO through Microsoft enterprise license purchases, and reporting links Palantir’s analytics and data tools with ICE deployments; technology firms’ roles have drawn particular scrutiny from activists and watchdogs who argue cloud and analytics enable surveillance and deportation workflows [5] [11] [3].
4. Logistics, supplies and niche services: FedEx, Ecolab, and many smaller contractors
Large delivery and facility suppliers also appear on ICE contract rolls: FedEx has provided delivery services under a contract reported in recent years, and Ecolab holds small multi-year supply contracts for detention centers [2] [3]. Investigations show that dozens of smaller or locally based vendors — some linked to larger companies — have won substantial task-order portfolios to supply equipment, restraints, munitions, and other operational goods [8] [4].
5. Skip tracing, contract structure and the rise of small outfits
A December procurement for nationwide skip-tracing services illustrates a new dynamic: ICE awarded contracts potentially worth about $1.2 billion for contractors to locate targeted individuals, and many awardees are small or opaque entities that could receive performance-based payments and bonuses; reporters note these firms function like “bounty hunters” and raise concerns about incentives and oversight [4]. Public databases and mapping projects compiled by outlets like Sludge have documented the rapid growth in contractor numbers and obligations under the current administration [6].
6. Politics, accountability and limits of the public record
Advocates and progressive groups have singled out five Fortune 500 firms and tech companies as key “corporate collaborators,” framing large DHS contract totals as evidence of corporate enabling of enforcement; others argue these contracts provide routine government IT, delivery and facility services rather than ideological alignment [11] [10]. Reported dollar figures often represent obligated amounts or potential maximums rather than final paid sums, and public sources vary in scope and cut-off dates, so any definitive ranking depends on which dataset and timeframe are chosen [6] [7].