This blog was created by Renee Feltz and Stokely Baksh as part of their Masters Project at Columbia University.
Their project explores the business of immigration detention centers.
In recent years, continued debate over undocumented immigrants has seen increased funds to Immigrant and Customs Enforcement under Department of Homeland Security to process and detain such individuals, which in turn has increased business relationships with privatized detention center operators/constructors and local county governments. These relationships have been made possible through contracts and Intergovernmental Service Agreements.
According to one feasibility study analysis for a contract to build a privately operated ICE facility in Texas, the intergovernmental service agreement was “issued as a direct result of intense pressure on ICE to take into custody and deport a substantially larger number of illegal immigrants.”
Please contact us at reneefeltz@gmail.com and stokelyb@gmail.com.