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As per an article on the Financial Times... http://www.ft.com/in...l#axzz2O0p5LaJz (Not sure if anyone else will be able to read it, though) To briefly summarize: Private Corrections Companies - read: Private Prisons - have joined the fight against comprehensive immigration reform. Two of the biggest ones, Corrections Corporation of America (http://en.wikipedia....ion_of_America) and The Geo Group (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GEO_Group), have collectively invested around $10 million to lobby government officials to be against a comprehensive reform to our flawed immigration system. These private prison companies operate many detention centers that currently house a significant number of undocumented immigrants. Their business model allows them to profit from the amount of individuals they can keep imprisoned...the more, the merrier. Since many of these companies are publicly listed (they have sold parts or their business or their whole business to private investors in the stock market), they have to maximize shareholder value - read: make money for the owners/investors. Therefore, they are going to 'try' to 'persuade' respective government officials to not only keep the immigration system as it is, but also to make it more draconian (worse), so they can increase profitability (forecast). However, they claim that their lobbying efforts are within the rule of law (snickers). Some numbers to give you an idea of who these companies are: Geo Group earned $1.6 billion in Revenues 2011, and earned around $70 million in profit for the same year The Geo Group also operates prisons in other parts of the world (Australia, UK, South Africa) ICE accounted for about 14% of their Revenues (2011) Significant Operations in CA, TX, FL CCA earned $1.7 billion in Revenues 2011, and earned around $160 million in profit for the same year CCA Operates in 20 states, and it is 'the largest owner and operator of privatized correctional and detention facilities in the US, behind the Federal Government and 3 states ICE accounted for about 12% of their Revenues (2011) I am a die-hard capitalist, and I love when companies make money - but I am completely against what these guys do. The Geo Group has been criticized for alleged human rights abuses, negligence, lack of medical care for inmates, among others. CCA's record is not better either. Further reading: http://www.globalres...of-slavery/8289 http://www.counterpu...-of-immigrants/ http://www.huffingto..._n_1731736.html