1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

The U.S. government's outsourcing of immigration enforcement to private corporations like GEO Group and BI Incorporated represents an unacceptable and extremely costly form of cruelty toward immigrants. The $2.2 billion exclusive contract between ICE and BI Incorporated incentivizes corporations to indiscriminately expand the use of harmful electronic ankle monitors on immigrants. These shackles inflict severe physical injuries as well as mental trauma and social isolation on vulnerable communities. Corporations profit by charging exorbitant fees that force immigrant families into debt while prolonging monitoring instead of restoring freedom. Outsourcing state functions to corporations motivated solely by financial gain has enabled rampant human rights abuses with minimal public accountability. It perpetuates an inhumane system of privatized oppression at massive taxpayer expense and must end immediately.