Private companies in the United States are anticipating a financial windfall as President-elect Donald Trump’s administration plans to round up, detain, and deport millions of undocumented immigrants. The GEO Group, CoreCivic, Palantir, and other firms involved in immigration-related services have seen a surge in their stock prices since the election. These companies are positioning themselves to capitalize on the increased spending on immigration enforcement and border security.
Experts argue that the private sector has found opportunities to profit by offering technology, surveillance, and detention facilities to assist with immigration enforcement. The expansion of technology, data, and information has driven the enforcement process across both Democratic and Republican administrations. Tech firms like Oracle, Boeing, and Elbit Systems have integrated themselves into the landscape of border security, offering detection technology to the US government.
However, concerns have been raised regarding the potential human rights violations in privately run immigrant detention facilities. Groups have documented issues such as poor sanitation, overcrowding, abuse, and lack of medical services in these facilities. Critics are skeptical of whether existing detention centers can accommodate the scale of deportations envisioned by the Trump administration, especially given the timeline for such actions.
The immigration enforcement climate in the US has created a lucrative market for companies providing services in the border and immigration security industry. This trend is not unique to the US, as the global market for border and immigration security is projected to reach $68bn by 2025. Overall, there are growing concerns about the dehumanizing effects of these enforcement measures on migrants seeking a better life or fleeing persecution.
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