[link removed] [[link removed]] APRIL 24, 2025
[link removed] [[link removed]]
Private prison companies positioned to benefit from increased deportations
[link removed] [[link removed]]
By Indy Scholtens
As the Trump administration is ramping up detentions and deportations of immigrants living in the United States, it is also revising and expanding contracts with private prison facilities. Prison companies can earn millions from the federal government by building and operating the facilities used to hold people before they are removed from the country.
The most valuable private prison companies are GEO Group and CoreCivic, at $4 billion [[link removed]] and $2.2 billion [[link removed]] , respectively. In a 2023 report, GEO Group noted Immigration and Customs Enforcement contracts accounted for 43 [[link removed]] percent of its revenue; for CoreCivic that number was 30 [[link removed]] percent. The day after Donald Trump was reelected, the companies’ stock prices soared [[link removed]] : GEO Group’s by about 41 percent [[link removed]] and CoreCivic’s by nearly 29 percent.
“This is, to us, an unprecedented opportunity,” George Zoley, executive chairman of the GEO Group, said [[link removed]] during an earnings call shortly after the election. During a CoreCivic earnings call, CEO Damon Hininger said [[link removed]] : “This is truly one of the most exciting periods in my career with the company.”
In December, GEO Group announced that the company would expand its ICE services capabilities by investing $70 million [[link removed]] in capital expenditures. Zoley said during the earnings call that the company is looking to potentially double its services [[link removed]] . ICE could help fill up to 18,000 [[link removed]] empty GEO beds, which could generate as much as $400 million [[link removed]] .
Both companies are part of a multibillion-dollar industry that could grow significantly while Trump is in office. Accordingly, the corporations and their employees have invested millions to influence decision-making that could increase their bottom lines.
Follow the money
* GEO Group and CoreCivic spent $1.38 million [[link removed]] and $1.77 million [[link removed]] , respectively, on lobbying the federal government in 2024. Much of their focus was the appropriations bill funding the Department of Homeland Security, which includes the budget for ICE.
* Both GEO Group [[link removed]] and CoreCivic [[link removed]] made $500,000 donations to the 2025 inaugural committee, double [[link removed]] what they gave to Trump’s 2017 inaugural committee.
* During the 2024 election cycle, GEO Group employees and its political action committees contributed a total of $3.7 million [[link removed]] to candidates, outside spending groups and other political committees. The majority went to Republicans and conservative groups: The company contributed $1 million to Trump’s Make America Great Again super PAC, $775,000 to the Republican Congressional Leadership Fund and $500,000 to the Senate Leadership Fund. GEO Acquisition II, Inc, a subsidiary, contributed $1 million [[link removed]] to Make America Great Again. GEO’s PAC became the first to max out donations to Trump’s presidential campaign in February 2024, according to Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics [[link removed]] , a nonprofit government watchdog.
* Two GEO Group executives, founder George Zoley and CEO Brian Evans, each made a $11,600 [[link removed]] contribution to Trump’s Save America fundraising committee.
* In August 2024, Zoley spent over $3 million [[link removed]] to buy 250,000 shares of his company at an average price of $12.28; their value has more than doubled [[link removed]] as of April 22. The increase in GEO’s stock price is the largest since 2016. It would generate about $4 million profit for Zoley if he sold the stock.
* CoreCivic PACs and employees donated $784,974 [[link removed]] in the 2024 election cycle, of which $660,170 [[link removed]] went to Republican candidates and committees. Hininger contributed $300,000 [[link removed]] to a joint fundraising committee benefitting the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee.
* Both GEO Group and CoreCivic have deep ties with the government: Attorney General Pam Bondi lobbied for GEO Group while she worked at Ballad Partners, for which she was paid $390,000 [[link removed]] . The majority of GEO Group’s lobbyists in 2024 were “revolvers”: 10 out of 13 [[link removed]] previously held government positions. For CoreCivic, six out of 10 [[link removed]] lobbyists in 2024 previously held government positions.
Why It Matters [[link removed]]
Dick Durbin by the numbers
[link removed] [[link removed]]
Sen. Dick Durbin (Ill.), the second-highest ranked Democratic leader in the Senate, announced Wednesday that he will retire in 2026. He has served in the Senate since 1997, following 14 years in the House.
Durbin has been the Democratic whip since 2005; he chaired the Judiciary Committee from 2021 to 2024 and currently serves as the panel’s ranking member. His departure creates what will likely be a competitive leadership race and a competitive Democratic primary for his Senate seat.
Durbin has been a proponent of changes to the federal campaign finance system during his career, including:
* A voluntary program to fund viable congressional candidates with public funds [[link removed]] .
* A constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court’s Citizens United [[link removed]] decision.
* The provision of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act known as the “millionaire’s amendment,” which allowed congressional candidates to accept donations above federal limits when facing self-financed candidates. The Supreme Court eventually ruled that provision to be unconstitutional.
OpenSecrets has assembled notable facts about Durbin’s own campaign fundraising and his impact on elections:
* When Durbin, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, last ran for reelection (in 2020), his campaign committee raised $10.4 million [[link removed]] . The biggest cumulative donations came from employees of three law firms: Power Rogers LLP ($71,900), Kirkland & Ellis ($63,400), and Simmons Hanly Conroy ($62,300). Employees of the state of Illinois also donated a total of $60,400.
* Simmons Hanley Conroy employees were also the biggest cohort supporting Durbin’s 2014 campaign, giving a total of $145,300, followed by two other law firms.
* As of March 31, Durbin had $1.6 million in his campaign account. He is permitted to give that money to candidates, the Democratic Party or charities.
* Durbin’s leadership political action committee, Prairie PAC [[link removed]] , raised and spent $1.1 million in 2024, down from its peak of $1.4 million in 2022.
[link removed] [[link removed]]
What else we're reading
Trump Raised $239 Million for Inauguration, More Than Doubling His Own Record [[link removed]] (The New York Times)
Trump Allies Cash In: Lobbying Firms With Administration Ties Report Surge in Revenues [[link removed]] (Sludge)
FEC Unanimously Dismisses Conservative Complaint Against NPR [[link removed]] (NOTUS)
Trump-connected lobbying firm Ballard Partners rakes in $14M in first quarter [[link removed]] (Politico)
OpenSecrets in the news
See our media citations from outlets around the nation this week:
Millions in campaign style ads hit TV, but there's no campaign [[link removed]] ( NBC4 Washington )
"I think we're seeing more of it (issue advertising) than you might normally see this year because of the Trump Administration's move to make so many changes so quickly. People don't want to be left out if you have a stake in something," Brendan Glavin, the Director of Insights for OpenSecrets, told the News4 I-Team. The nonprofit tracks money in politics.
[link removed] [[link removed]]
Major Sports Figures Donated at Least $15M to Second Trump Inauguration [[link removed]] ( Front Office Sports )
Hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin, who has given millions to U.S. Soccer, pledged $1 million to the inaugural committee. Griffin, like McMahon, was a major donor to Republicans during the election cycle. He gave roughly $100 million total to individuals and causes, according to analysis from OpenSecrets, which tracks money in politics.
Mike Johnson, Steve Scalise break fundraising records in effort to keep GOP House majority [[link removed]] (The Advocate)
As a mid-level House manager before ascending to the top spot in October 2023, Johnson didn’t shine at fundraising. OpenSecrets, a Washington-based nonprofit that tracks campaign contributions, showed that, for the 2022 election cycle, Johnson raised $1.3 million while the average House member brought in $3 million.
This Company Is Spending Millions to Profit Off Veterans' Benefits. Why Won't Lawmakers Stop It? [[link removed]] (Military.com)
The company set up its own political action committee, Veterans Guardian VA Claims Consulting PAC, made up of donations from Greenblatt, Taylor, other executives, and their family members. Donations from Veterans Guardian affiliates were in the top five campaign contributions for both Bergman and Mace, according to the campaign finance tracking database OpenSecrets. Bergman received $26,200 from these donors for 2024, and Mace received $19,700.
Pa. primary election 2025: A guide to vetting local and judicial candidates [[link removed]] (Spotlight PA)
The Federal Election Commission website and platforms such as OpenSecrets allow you to search for donations to federal campaigns. In Pennsylvania, state-level candidates (including Common Pleas judges) file their campaign finance information with the Department of State, which lists those reports online. The best way to find a candidate's committee is to search by last name.
See More [[link removed]]
The OpenSecrets merch store is here!
[link removed] [[link removed]]
We’re thrilled to announce the launch of the OpenSecrets Merch Store [[link removed]] ! Now, you can support our mission while looking good doing it. Every purchase helps us provide comprehensive and reliable data, analysis and tools for policymakers, storytellers and citizens.
Our collection — initially featuring a hoodie, crewneck, t-shirt and hat — is designed to spread awareness and make a difference. Whether you're treating yourself or finding the perfect gift, every item you buy helps fuel our cause. And every item in our store was manufactured by a certified ethical and “sweat-free” company.
Join us in wearing your support — transparency has never been more comfortable!
Shop Now [[link removed]]
Join us at the American Democracy Summit
[[link removed]]
We’re excited to announce our participation in the 2025 American Democracy Summit [[link removed]] — one of the premier gatherings of pro-democracy leaders and changemakers in the country. This year’s theme, "We The Future," is about coming together to build a stronger, more accountable government that truly represents all Americans — a theme that aligns perfectly with the OpenSecrets mission.
The American Democracy Summit will take place near Phoenix, Arizona, May 14-16, 2025.
Learn all about the summit’s innovative programming and world-class speakers here [[link removed]] . And use the discount code OPENSECRETS to get 10% off your ticket.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Register Now [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]]
[[link removed]] [[link removed]] [[link removed]]

OpenSecrets
1100 13th Street, NW
Suite 800
Washington, DC xxxxxx
United States
If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please unsubscribe: [link removed] .