ICE’s Profit-Driven Deportation Machine: How Private Prisons Undermine Mass Removal Goals

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Rep. LaMonica McIver Accuses ICE of Profiting from Delayed Deportations, Faces Prison for Speaking to Detainees

WASHINGTON — A first-term congresswoman has accused U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of deliberately prolonging detentions to profit from private prison contracts, while also facing federal charges for speaking to detainees outside an ICE facility in Newark, New Jersey.

Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ-10) told reporters on Capitol Hill that detainees at the Delaney Hall ICE detention center have described being held for months after voluntarily agreeing to deportation—a delay she argues is driven by financial incentives for private prison companies.

"When I go to Delaney Hall, I speak to numerous detainees there," McIver said. "They tell me how they have signed a voluntary deportation agreement months ago and are literally still being held at the detention center. So this is all about money."

McIver’s claims align with a broader critique of ICE’s expanded detention capacity, which has surged alongside a $45 billion budget increase approved by Congress in 2025. According to ICE’s own statistics, the average length of detention for individuals in custody rose from 52 days in September 2023 to 70 days in September 2025—an increase of roughly one-third. Meanwhile, the number of people in ICE detention more than doubled, from 24,000 in January 2023 to nearly 60,000 by late September 2025.

Private Prison Profits Rise as Detention Expands

The detention boom has directly benefited CoreCivic and GEO Group, the two largest private prison companies operating ICE facilities. Both firms have reported record profits in 2025, with revenue tied to occupancy rates and per-diem payments that reward higher bed counts.

CoreCivic’s revenue climbed 13% to $2.2 billion, while GEO Group’s revenue nearly doubled to $38.3 million—figures that reflect their expanded role in ICE’s detention network. Contracts with ICE often include occupancy-based incentives, meaning the longer detainees are held, the more revenue the companies earn.

"If these corporations didn’t exist, it would be difficult for the federal government to execute its mass detention plans," wrote the Brennan Center in an analysis last year, noting that private prison companies have long been "an important partner for ICE" in carrying out deportation policies.

Congresswoman Faces 17 Years in Prison for Speaking to Detainees

McIver’s accusations come as she confronts three federal charges for allegedly interfering with an ICE agent outside the Delaney Hall facility. Prosecutors accuse her of forcibly obstructing a federal officer, a crime that carries a maximum sentence of 17 years in prison.

"I did not dream of going to jail for doing my job in Congress," McIver said. "ICE tried to stop us for what should be a routine visit—showing up for the people we represent."

Her case has drawn attention to ICE’s restrictions on legislative access to detention centers. In response, McIver introduced a bill this week to strengthen unannounced-visit rights for members of Congress, arguing that current oversight mechanisms are insufficient.

$70 Billion Funding Push Raises Oversight Concerns

The controversy coincides with a $70 billion funding increase for ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), approved by Congress earlier this month as part of a broader budget reconciliation package. The additional funds—on top of the $140 billion already allocated—are being framed as necessary for deportation operations, but critics warn they will further insulate ICE from congressional scrutiny.

"Teeing up a second reconciliation bill to fund ICE and CBP is not about any immediate funding need," said Gabe Murphy, a policy analyst for Taxpayers for Common Sense. "It’s about insulating these agencies from oversight for the remainder of the president’s term in office."

The funding is expected to be approved through reconciliation, a process that allows legislation to bypass the Senate filibuster. However, the budget resolution does not require offsetting cuts elsewhere, meaning the spending will be financed by increased national debt.

ICE’s Response: Silence on Detention Delays

When asked about the rising average detention time for individuals who have voluntarily agreed to deportation, ICE did not provide a statement. The agency’s 2025 budget expansion—the largest in its history—has been justified as necessary to address record migrant encounters at the southern border, though critics argue the true driver is private prison profits.

McIver’s legal battle and her allegations of deliberate detention delays have placed her at the center of a growing debate over whether ICE’s enforcement priorities are being undermined by financial incentives tied to private contractors.

For support or legal assistance related to immigration detention, contact:

• ICE Victim Assistance Program: ICE VOICE Office
• American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): Immigrants’ Rights Project
• National Immigration Law Center (NILC): Detention Resources