Supreme Court Rules Against Private Prison Firm in Forced-Work Lawsuit

GEO Group faces allegations of forcing immigration detainees in Colorado to work for $1 per day

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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The Supreme Court has ruled against the private prison company GEO Group in a lawsuit alleging that immigration detainees at its facility in Aurora, Colorado were forced to perform unpaid janitorial work and other jobs for little pay to supplement meager meals. The ruling is a procedural defeat for GEO, which had argued it should be immune from the lawsuit as a government contractor.

Why it matters

This case highlights ongoing concerns about the treatment of immigration detainees in private prisons, with allegations of forced labor and substandard living conditions. It also underscores the legal battles private prison companies face as they seek to avoid liability for their practices.

The details

The lawsuit was filed in 2014 and alleges that detainees at GEO's Aurora facility were required to perform unpaid janitorial work and other jobs for little pay in order to supplement the meager meals provided. GEO defended its practices and argued the case should be dismissed because it is immune from lawsuits as a government contractor. However, a judge disagreed, and the company appealed to the Supreme Court, which has now ruled against GEO in this procedural matter.

  • The lawsuit was filed in 2014.
  • The Supreme Court ruled against GEO on February 25, 2026.

The players

GEO Group

One of the top private detention providers in the country, with management or ownership of about 77,000 beds at 98 facilities.

Ras Baraka

The mayor of Newark, New Jersey, who was arrested at a protest at a new GEO Group federal immigration detention center in May 2025, before the case against the Democrat was dropped.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing legal battles and public scrutiny faced by private prison companies over their treatment of detainees, raising questions about the role of for-profit prisons in the immigration detention system.