Supreme Court Ruling Against GEO Group in ICE Detention Case
The Supreme Court ruling against GEO Group was issued unanimously earlier this week. The decision rejected the company’s argument that it should receive sovereign immunity as a contractor working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The ruling allows immigration detainees to continue suing the private prison company. The lawsuit challenges GEO’s policy of requiring detainees to work for as little as $1 per day.
Lawsuit Over $1-Per-Day Labor Continues
The case dates back to 2014 and began in Aurora, Colorado. Detainees there alleged they were forced to perform janitorial and other labor with little or no pay.
Alejandro Menocal filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of detainees. The plaintiffs argue that GEO violated federal laws against forced labor and a Colorado law prohibiting unjust enrichment.
Justice Elena Kagan wrote the majority opinion for the Court. She stated that nothing in the ICE contract required GEO to implement the labor rules being challenged.
Sovereign Immunity Argument Rejected
GEO attempted to dismiss the lawsuit by claiming sovereign immunity. The company argued that it should be treated like the federal government because it contracts with ICE.
However, the Supreme Court rejected that argument. Justice Kagan wrote that GEO must wait until the case concludes before appealing if liability is found.
All nine justices agreed with the outcome of the Supreme Court ruling against GEO Group. However, Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito expressed different reasoning in their views.
Legal Experts Say Decision Could Trigger More Lawsuits
Legal experts say the decision could open the door to additional lawsuits. Similar legal challenges have already emerged in several states involving private immigration detention facilities.
Attorney Jennifer Bennett, who represented Colorado detainees, praised the ruling. She said the decision confirms that government contractors must follow the same legal rules as other litigants.
According to Bennett, contractors like GEO cannot claim sovereign immunity simply because they work with the government. Therefore, the company must follow the same “one case, one appeal” process.
GEO Group Operations and Previous Legal Cases
The GEO Group is based in Florida and operates one of the largest private detention networks in the United States. The company manages 98 facilities and approximately 77,000 detention beds.
One of those facilities in Newark, New Jersey, became a site of political controversy. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested during a protest there in May 2025, although the charges were later dropped.
Additionally, a court in Washington state previously ordered the company to pay more than $23 million in a related detainee labor case. It remains unclear whether that ruling is under appeal.
Separate Court Ruling Involving Immigration Detention
Meanwhile, another immigration detention case recently drew attention in federal court. A judge found the Department of Homeland Security in civil contempt for violating a court order.
Minnesota District Court Judge Eric C. Tostrud ruled that the government must compensate a detainee known as “Fernando T.” The ruling concerns transportation costs after he was moved between detention facilities.
Fernando, a Mexican citizen, had filed a habeas corpus petition seeking release or a bond hearing. However, federal officials transferred him despite a court order prohibiting the move.
