A class-action lawsuit has been filed against CoreCivic, the private operator of the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia, alleging that detained immigrants are compelled to work for as little as $1 per day. The lawsuit asserts that detainees are coerced into performing various tasks, including cleaning and food preparation, under threats of serious consequences for non-compliance.

The lawsuit, brought forth by Project South, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), and other legal entities, claims that the facility's policies create an environment where labor cannot be considered voluntary. Detainees reportedly face threats of isolation, criminal prosecution, and other punitive measures if they refuse to participate in the so-called “Voluntary Work Program.”

CoreCivic, which reported revenues of nearly $1.8 billion last year, is accused of exploiting the labor of detained immigrants for profit. The Stewart Detention Center operates under an Intergovernmental Service Agreement with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which has been criticized for detaining individuals under conditions more akin to those found in prisons, despite immigration violations being civil in nature.

The immigration detention system has expanded significantly over the past two decades, with the number of detention beds increasing from 5,532 in 1994 to over 41,000. Private prison companies, including CoreCivic and GEO Group, have become major players in this system, with over 60 percent of ICE detention beds managed by private operators. This growth has been accompanied by substantial lobbying efforts to secure contracts for immigrant detention.

Despite the expansion of private facilities, advocates argue that conditions for detainees have not improved. Reports indicate that at least 14 detainees have died in custody since the Trump administration took office in November 2016, raising serious concerns about the treatment and safety of individuals held in these facilities. Recent incidents, including the death of a Cuban immigrant at the Stewart Detention Center and another immigrant at the Prairieland Detention Center in Texas, further underscore the urgent need for scrutiny of the practices within the immigration detention system.