Why We Oppose Renewing the GEO Group Contract in Aurora
The Denver Justice Project is advocating against the renewal of the GEO Group contract to operate the immigration detention facility in Aurora. This position is grounded in serious concerns about inhumane conditions, lack of oversight, and a profit-driven system that harms immigrant communities.
Inhumane and Unsafe Conditions
Firsthand accounts from individuals detained inside the Aurora facility describe severe overcrowding and degrading conditions. Housing units (“pods”) are designed to hold approximately 24 people, with just three showers, three toilets, and three telephones. Yet reports indicate that some pods—particularly for men—have held between 60 and 80 people at a time. This means individuals are living at double or even triple capacity, creating unsafe and unsanitary conditions.
Access to legal counsel is also compromised. Detainees are forced to use shared phones within the pods, with no privacy from others or from guards. This undermines the fundamental right to confidential communication with attorneys.
Basic needs are not being met. Food is often inadequate and lacks nutritional value, forcing many detainees to purchase additional food from the commissary. At the same time, individuals are paid as little as $1 per day for labor inside the facility. Phone calls can cost around $7 per call, effectively forcing people to work simply to maintain contact with their families.
Detainees are typically given only two changes of clothing and have limited access to laundry, often washing clothes in sinks or wearing dirty clothing for extended periods. The facility is frequently kept at extremely cold temperatures, and access to visitation and communication is inconsistently restricted.
Oversight is also limited, with reports of elected officials and local health inspectors being denied entry. This lack of transparency is unacceptable.
Inadequate and Harmful Medical Care
Access to medical care inside the facility is deeply concerning. Detainees report being routinely denied timely treatment when they are sick, with care often limited to what can be provided inside the facility, regardless of the severity of their condition. Outside medical care is frequently delayed until situations become critical, resulting in individuals being transferred to hospitals only when they are seriously or even life-threateningly ill. In these cases, detainees can be billed personally for the cost of that care, placing an additional financial burden on people who are already in a vulnerable position. This pattern not only worsens health outcomes but raises serious concerns about a system that delays necessary care and shifts the cost onto those detained.
Health conditions inside the facility are deeply concerning. There have been reported outbreaks of COVID-19 and RSV, with little to no meaningful mitigation—no masks, limited sanitation supplies, and no ability to physically distance.
A Profit-Driven System
The Aurora detention center is operated by the GEO Group, one of the largest private prison corporations in the United States, whose business model depends on incarceration and detention.
- The GEO Group reported approximately $2.41 billion in revenue in 2024 and $2.38 billion in 2023, reflecting continued reliance on government detention and corrections contracts.
- Since 2020, GEO has generated over $11 billion in total revenue, the vast majority tied to federal, state, and local government contracts, including immigration detention.
- A significant portion of GEO’s business continues to come from federal agencies like ICE and the U.S. Marshals Service, underscoring how immigration detention remains a core driver of profits.
- GEO has spent millions on federal lobbying efforts, including approximately $2–3 million annually in recent years advocating on issues related to immigration enforcement and detention policy.
- The company and its affiliates have also contributed millions in political donations, particularly to candidates and committees that support expanded detention and incarceration policies.
These financial incentives raise serious concerns: the expansion of detention is not just a policy outcome—it is a business model.
Sources:
- GEO Group 2024 & 2023 Annual Reports (SEC Form 10-K filings)
- GEO Group Investor Relations Financial Statements
- GEO Group Annual Reports (SEC Filings, 10-K)
- OpenSecrets.org – GEO Group Lobbying & Political Contributions
- Detention Watch Network Reports on Private Detention Industry
Why This Matters
Aurora is one of the most diverse communities in Colorado. Immigrant families are an essential part of our neighborhoods, workforce, and shared future. The conditions inside this facility—and the system that sustains it—do not reflect our values.
The continued operation of this detention center represents a broader pipeline of detention that disproportionately harms immigrant communities while enriching private corporations. Other states have taken steps to end private immigration detention. Colorado should do the same.
Take Action
The inhumane treatment happening inside the Aurora detention facility is a stain on our state and cannot be ignored. We must act now to ensure this contract is not renewed and to prevent the expansion of detention in Colorado.
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