The private prison industry is working to increase the criminalization of our communities to further overpopulate our prisons, through lobbying efforts that increase incarcerations by the federal government and by states such as Arizona and Georgia, which
By Toni Frésquez
“What’s going on here,” asked a customer leaving Wells Fargo bank, as protestors arrived at the Aurora branch last Friday. Organizers explained to her that it was a National Day of Action to protest Wells Fargo and other national banks investments into private immigrant detention centers and prisons. After listening to the activists, she revealed she had a few accounts at Wells Fargo, but she also had a son in a private prison system. It was a revealing moment for her.
The July 1st action was planned to draw attention to the plight of immigrants in the US and those who profit off their misery; and the day also marked the implementation of Arizona copycat law HB87 in the state of Georgia.
Last year, when SB 1070 was signed into law in Arizona, once again the private prison industry has played a powerful force in lobbying for anti-immigrant legislation for profit.
The National Prison Industry Divestment Campaign is working to expose the profiteering of Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) and the GEO Group (who incarcerates immigrants in Aurora, Colorado), the biggest private prison companies in the US, who are making millions off the separation and incarceration of immigrants and communities of color at the expense of tax dollars.
Wells Fargo has 4,000,000 shares in Geo Group and ½ shares in CCA, according to the most current Security and Exchange Commission filings.
According to Enlace International, Wells Fargo’s combined prison holdings are valued upwards of 120 million. Geo Group is a client of Wells Fargo and the both share the same lobbyist, the Podesta Group in Washington, DC.
Wells Fargo and CCA made contributions to Georgia’s HB87 sponsor Senator Bill Hamrick. Geo and CCA made contributions to Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal. CCA, Geo and Wells Fargo made contributions to several House
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