By Newspot Nigeria Editorial Desk
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has hired BI Incorporated, a surveillance firm owned by private prison giant GEO Group, to help locate immigrants at their homes and workplaces across the United States, according to contract records reviewed by The Intercept.
The arrangement is part of ICE’s expanding use of private contractors to conduct what the agency describes as “skip tracing,” a process that relies on surveillance and investigative techniques to pinpoint individuals’ locations so federal agents can carry out arrests. Records show ICE has already paid BI Incorporated $1.6 million, with the contract potentially rising to $121 million by 2027.
BI Incorporated, acquired by GEO Group in 2011, has long worked with federal immigration authorities, particularly through electronic monitoring programs involving GPS ankle bracelets and mobile tracking tools. Under the new contract, the company is expected to use its own internal tools and methods to trace immigrants’ movements, giving it broad discretion over surveillance techniques employed.
Critics warn that the deal deepens concerns about privatizing immigration enforcement. Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democratic lawmaker from Illinois, said the approach “invites the very abuses, secrecy, and corruption our founders sought to prevent.”
The contract also highlights GEO Group’s strategy of vertical integration within the immigration system. Under the current Trump administration, the federal government has significantly expanded funding for immigration detention. GEO Group, which operates numerous detention facilities nationwide, now stands to profit both from locating immigrants and housing them after arrest.
GEO Group has faced sustained criticism over conditions in its facilities. Civil rights organizations have documented allegations ranging from medical neglect to unsafe living conditions. The company has previously been the subject of lawsuits and federal complaints related to treatment of detainees, including recent cases involving alleged medical delays and hazardous conditions.
ICE contracting documents do not clearly state whether BI Incorporated will deploy personnel in the field or rely primarily on digital surveillance tools. However, vendors are not required to identify themselves as government agents, and ICE has confirmed that contractors may subcontract work at their own discretion.
As ICE continues to expand its reliance on private firms, immigrant rights advocates and lawmakers say the growing role of for-profit corporations in immigration enforcement raises serious questions about accountability, transparency, and civil liberties.
Newspot Nigeria will continue to monitor developments around U.S. immigration enforcement and the growing role of private contractors.
— Newspot Nigeria
